[JohnnyBB]

Richard Desmond is poised to announce the sale of Channel 5 to the US broadcaster that owns MTV for as much as £450m.

The US broadcaster, which owns channels including Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, is expected to announce the deal to the New York stock market on Thursday or Friday at the latest.

The deal is short of the typically aggressive £700m-plus target originally set by Desmond, the owner of the Daily Express and Daily Star.

But it nonetheless makes for a significant profit on the £103.5m he paid to buy the then loss-making Channel 5 from the German broadcaster RTL in 2010.

It is not clear what Viacom will do with Channel 5's £350m-a-year TV ad sales business. But it is thought likely that it will involve Rupert Murdoch's Sky.

BSkyB handles the TV ad sales in the UK for Viacom – the US broadcaster is Sky Media's biggest customer – and it is most likely to incorporate Channel 5's sales into its existing deal.

Desmond based his valuation on 10 times anticipated profits of £70m this year, but a number of analysts had set a top end valuation of £400m to £500m.

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The deal would allow the US pay-TV company to make a major move into free-to-air television in the UK.

In the UK it has moved into commissioning more original, homegrown shows for its key channels MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.

Viacom has invested heavily in entertainment, reality and children's television, which would make it a good fit for Channel 5.

It makes shows such as MTV's structured reality series Geordie Shore – which made a star of Charlotte Crosby, who went on to win Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother.

In addition, along with Channel 5, Viacom invested in Peppa Pig via Nick Jr, which airs on Channel 5's children's segment Milkshake and on Nick Jr.

Channel 5 shows include the US drama imports CSI and The Mentalist, Edie Stobart: Trucks & Trailers, The Hotel Inspector and Extreme Fishing with Robson Green.

The broadcaster's children's strand Milkshake features shows including Peppa Pig, Fireman Sam and Thomas & Friends.

Channel 5 has six channels – the flagship Channel 5, 5* and 5 USA, and a +1, one-hour time-shifted variant for each – some of which could be converted to pay services.

Rivals including BSkyB and Discovery, which was considered the frontrunner to buy Channel 5, have expanded their operations into the free-to-air market.

Viacom declined to comment. Northern & Shell, Channel 5's parent company, said no deal had yet been concluded.

Source http://www.theguardian.com/media/201...medium=twitter

[Jake.]

I wonder what this will mean for BB

[Ramsay]

Originally Posted by Jake.

I wonder what this will mean for BB

DEATH

[Tregard]

Originally Posted by Jake.

I wonder what this will mean for BB

Either it's gone or getting more structured, most likely.

[King Gizzard]

How much did Big Dez buy it for?

[King Gizzard]

I should have read the OP

[MTVN]

BB will surely stay though it become even more trashy

[Jordan.]

Viacom has invested heavily in entertainment, reality and children's television, which would make it a good fit for Channel 5.

It makes shows such as MTV's structured reality series Geordie Shore – which made a star of Charlotte Crosby, who went on to win Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother

Bb should be fine

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Jordan.

Bb should be fine

Depends what you mean by "fine". Not axed? Maybe.

But getting worse? I'd say it's highly likely.

[@bbuk_fans]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

Depends what you mean by "fine". Not axed? Maybe.

But getting worse? I'd say it's highly likely.

Producers & exec producers will likely remain the same though.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by @bbuk_fans

Producers & exec producers will likely remain the same though.

But the channel will have a huge influence, after all they are the ones paying for it.

Otherwise the show would most likely still resemble its channel 4 days.

[@bbuk_fans]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

But the channel will have a huge influence, after all they are the ones paying for it.

Otherwise the show would most likely still resemble its channel 4 days.

Well I guess its just a case of waiting. I would imagine only a few people know the future of the format/show because of all the sale stuff going on at the moment. There would be no point Endemol reaching a deal with Desmond if he sells off the business to Viacom. Endemol will have a big say as well though.

[DigitalSid]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

But the channel will have a huge influence, after all they are the ones paying for it.

They really won't, Ben Frow head of the channel at the minute had just one meeting with producers re: BB14, they're completely left to it, minus a creative director from C5 on site to approve things.

Otherwise the show would most likely still resemble its channel 4 days.

It does, it's no different now to the last two series on C4.

[Jordan.]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

Depends what you mean by "fine". Not axed? Maybe.

But getting worse? I'd say it's highly likely.

Why would it get worse? If anything it's only gotten better since it started on 5

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Jordan.

Why would it get worse? If anything it's only gotten better since it started on 5

[T*]

Omfg, Viacom is a horrid company. This isn't going to be good for big brother. This could mean that ANY fan videos of the upcoming series' will be deleted, They're really anal about everything.

[King Gizzard]

Originally Posted by Tom!

Omfg, Viacom is a horrid company. This isn't going to be good for big brother. This could mean that ANY fan videos of the upcoming series' will be deleted, They're really anal about everything.

Yup, they watch all torrenting and download activity too from my experience

[arista]

Originally Posted by Tom!

Omfg, Viacom is a horrid company. This isn't going to be good for big brother. This could mean that ANY fan videos of the upcoming series' will be deleted, They're really anal about everything.

Rubbish they may even give us Live Feed


Big Brother
gets the most viewers for Ch5
and Ch5HD

[T*]

Originally Posted by arista

Rubbish they may even give us Live Feed


Big Brother
gets the most viewers for Ch5
and Ch5HD

I'm presuming you didn't read my post properly?

[arista]

Originally Posted by Tom!

I'm presuming you didn't read my post properly?

I read all your post.


your Facts are Wrong

[T*]

Originally Posted by arista

I read all your post.


your Facts are Wrong

Oh really? My facts are wrong even though they had a big spat about it a few years ago?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viacom_..._YouTube,_Inc..

They are a horrid and unethical company.

[@bbuk_fans]

I'm confident BB will stay on Channel 5 if this sale is confirmed. Viacom know what they're doing with MTV and have many successful reality shows and marketing for these shows work very well. I would possibly expect a few more cast members from MTV shows to appear on CBB and BOTS

[JohnnyBB]

Is it bad i want bb axed im realy fed up with the way it is now, dont get me wrong its entertaing but i dont like the format id rarther see it axed.

[DigitalSid]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBB

Is it bad i want bb axed im realy fed up with the way it is now, dont get me wrong its entertaing but i dont like the format id rarther see it axed.

Then don't watch it.

[Josiah.]

I'd rather see BB go back to Channel 4 since Channel 5's been bought by Viacom.