Chronology
This chronology is indicative only. It covers -
- antecedents (1970)
- TV1 (1989)
- southern expansion (1993)
- expansion into eastern europe (1999)
- consolidation (2002)
Context is provided by the broader communications and media timeline on this site.
Antecedents
1970 Roger Corman founds New World Pictures
1983 Harry Sloan, Larry Kupin and Larry Thompson acquire New World Pictures
1983 New World goes public
1986 New World buys Highgate Pictures
1986 New World buys Learning Corporation of America
1986 New World buys Marvel Comics (later Marvel Entertainment Group)
1989 New World acquires Four Star International television production company
1989 Ronald Perelman buys Marvel Entertainment Group for US$83m
1989 Marvel floated
1989 New World faces financial crisis, sold for US$145m
TV1
1989 Sloan forms TV1 using proceeds from sale of New World stake
1989 TV1 buys 60% stake in Kanal5 (Denmark)
1989 buys 25% stake in TV Norge (Norway)
1989 buys 75% of Nordic Channel (Sweden)
1989 buys 25% of TVStockholm (Sweden)
1989 buys 25% of TV Malmo
1990 New World closes Highgate Pictures and Learning Corporation of America
1990 Perelman acquires New World, renamed New World Entertainment
1991 TV1 renamed SBS
1991 receives investment from Time Warner and Advent International
1991 acquires Kanal5
1991 New World television library sold to Sony
1992 Perelman acquires SCI Television from George Gillette
1993 SCI Television folded into New World, which becomes New World Communications (stations later form basis of News Corp's Fox tv network)
Southern expansion
1993 IPO of SBS
1993 buys radio stations in Sweden, Finland and Denmark
1994 Ronald Lauder and former Czech dissident Vladimir Zelezny launch Central European Media Enterprises
1995 SBS acquires tv stations in the Netherlands and Belgium
1998 acquires tv stations in Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands and Slovenia
1999 launches TV3 in Switzerland
1999 launches Net5 in the Netherlands
1999 takes stake in BidLet
1999 acquires third radio station in Stockholm (107.5 FM)
1999 launches second station in Copenhagen (Voice Pop)
Expansion into eastern Europe
1999 announces US$615m merger with Lauder-controlled Central European Media Enterprises - merger does not proceed
2000 takes 70% stake in Lamsi FM (Greece)
2000 Liberty-controlled United Pan-Europe Communications acquires 18% of SBS but does not proceed with US$2.8bn takeover
2000 acquires 50% stake in TV10 (the Netherlands)
2000 acquires 33% of Strateurop tv (Poland)
2000 acquires stake in Austrian-based gaming site BETandWIN
2000 acquires broadcasting assets of Central European Media Enterprises (Hungary) for US$16m, sells 50% to RTL Klub for US$9m
2000 takes stake in Prima TV (Romania)
2000 takes stake in Nordzee FM (Netherlands)
2000 buys News Corp's 50% interest in TV10 (Netherlands)
2001 forms video production joint venture with News' Fox
2001 buys Fox 8 in the Netherlands from News
2001 acquires 20% of ATV statellite to cable tv station (Austria)
2002 acquires MTM Productions (Hungary)
Consolidation
2002 sells its 35% indirect stake in Publimusic BV (Dutch radio station Noordzee FM) to John de Mol
2002 sells 2.6% of Polish broadcaster TVN to ITI TV for US$11m
2002 buys remainder of Netherlands news service Cameo Support BV
2003 sells remaining 30.4% equity stake in TVN to partner ITI for US$157.5m
2003 acquires Veronica Magazine
2003 sells stake in Lions Gate Entertainment for US$11m
2003 merges Swedish radio operations with Bonnier Radio AB to creates SBS Radio AB (51% owned by SBS, 49% by Bonnier)
2004 acquires remaining 49.3% in TVNorge AS from TV2 for €30.8m
2005 increases stake in Prima TV in Romania to 100% for around €20m
2005 pays €269.6m for C More Group AB (pay tv operations in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark under Canal+ and C More brands)
2005 sells 16% economic and 27.1% voting interest in TV2 (Hungary)
2005 acquires ís leading Kiss FM and Radio Star (Romania)
2005 SBS acquired by KKR and Permira in deal valued at US$2.5bn