News Corp in talks to take Rotana stake

News Corp is in talks to acquire a stake in  Middle Eastern pay-TV broadcaster Rotana Media Group. This comes after Rotana and Fox International Channels struck a multi-million dollar output deal with the international distribution arm of Walt Disney. The News Corp deal is expected to close by the end of January, Rotana president Nezar Nagro told local press.

Meanwhile, the output deal, which was inked with Disney ABC ESPN Television, will allow Rotana and its joint-venture channel partner FIC to air a raft of Disney series including Lost and Ugly Betty as well as movies including Pirates of the Caribbean and Wall-e. The deal has been valued at DIR100 million (€19m).