LA Biz Observed
 
Bio • Email • Archive
 

 

Kind of depends on what newspaper you're reading. Last night the WSJ broke the news that the principals of DreamWorks SKG "are close to a deal" with Mumbai-based Reliance ADA Group, one of India's big entertainment conglomerates. The Journal reported that Reliance would shell out $500 million to $600 million in equity - and that DreamWorks would seek another $500 million in debt financing. All this would be an effort to break free from Paramount. Nikki Finke went to far as to post that DreamWorks "has secured" the Indian cash. But a few hours later the LAT, citing an unnamed someone in the know, reports that "talks were fluid and no deal was imminent." Then Variety reported early this morning that Reliance was in "advanced talks." Then later this morning the NYT was out with its own version, also citing unnamed so-and-sos, as saying that "any deal is still at a very early stage… and it may be several weeks before a deal is signed, if at all."
There's no telling where the truth lies - as opposed to somebody's artful spinning of what he would like the truth to be. Perhaps it's best to split the difference - that is, the talks have entered a serious stage but are still some distance from being finalized. Yeah, that sounds good. But wait, what do we mean by “serious”?

Updated post

> | More
© 2003-2011   •  About LA Observed  •  Email the editor
Mark's latest news
and commentary
 
 
LA Biz Observed
by topic
Economy and jobs
Media, books & Hollywood
Politics and labor
Travel, food and life
Technology
Land and real estate
Wealth and poverty
 
 
New at
LA Observed
 
2:25 PM Fri | Martin Gomez, the head librarian for Los Angeles since 2009, will become vice dean in the USC Libraries on April 2.