Network18 Media & Investments Ltd, Viacom Inc. Tie up With Walt Disney Co In India-DJ

Dow Jones reported that Network18 Media & Investments Ltd's equal joint venture (JV) with U.S.-based Viacom Inc. has formed a partnership with Walt Disney Co to gather content and distribute television channels. The partnership will be 74%-owned by IndiaCast Media Distribution Ltd., the Network18-Viacom joint venture and the rest by Disney's India unit, DisneyUTV. Network18 didn't reveal any financial details of the deal but said that both IndiaCast and DisneyUTV will move their domestic distribution businesses to the new venture, offering 35 channels across the cable, direct-to-home and Headend in the sky, or HITS, platforms. The partnership will help Walt Disney, which currently offers only nine channels in the kids, youth and movies segments in India, enhance its visibility and improve revenue generation at a time of rapid growth for the country's media and entertainment industry.