John Malone's Liberty Global has opened talks with Britain's Virgin Media over a takeover that would increase the U.S. cable group's dominance in Europe and step up a challenge to media mogul Rupert Murdoch.Virgin Media, the No. 2 pay-TV group in Britain behind Murdoch's satellite group BSkyB, has a valuation including debt of around $20 billion.A deal would give Liberty entry to one of Europe's biggest telecom markets and allow it to apply lessons learned as a pay-TV and broadband provider in 11 other European countries.Malone's Liberty could offer one of the sternest challenges to Murdoch as cable groups across the region start to assert their authority over traditional telecoms firms with the offer of super-fast broadband and pay-television.
Liberty Global, Inc. (LGI) is an international provider of video, broadband Internet and telephony services, with broadband communications and/or direct-to-home satellite (DTH) operations, As of December 31, 2011, the Company was serving 19. Shares of LBTYA fell by 4.02% or $-2.79/share to $66.67. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $44.87 and as high as $70.65. On average, 1386550 shares of LBTYA exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 591125.
Virgin Media Inc. is engaged in entertainment and communications business. Shares of VMED traded higher by 16.23% or $6.28/share to $44.97. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $21.25 and as high as $40.25. On average, 2687320 shares of VMED exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 5915225.
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