Sony Calls Off Zee Merger; UK Gov Recommends Reforms for BBC Impartiality; OpenAI Strikes First Higher Education Partnership

by Aimee Newell Tarín on 23rd Jan 2024 in News

On today’s ExchangeWire digest: Sony Calls Off Zee Merger; UK Gov Recommends Reforms for BBC Impartiality; OpenAI Strikes First Higher Education Partnership…

On Monday, news broke that Sony has called off the USD$10bn (£7.8bn) merger between its India unit and Zee Entertainment, bringing the two-year acquisition deliberation to an end. The deal would have brought together two of the largest broadcasting giants in India, which run large cable television networks, streaming services, music labels, as well as other digital assets. In a statement, Sony states that it sent a termination letter to Zee Entertainment due to its failure to meet the conditions outlined for the deal.

Following a mid-term review of the BBC, the UK government has recommended reforms to boost confidence in the broadcaster’s impartiality. Recommendations include greater independent scrutiny of complaints handling, improving transparency for commercial organisations, and extending Ofcom oversight over more BBC online services. The broadcaster has been urged to “better reflect diverse views and opinions in decision-making and improve engagement with underserved audience groups”.

Last week, Arizona State University became the first higher education institution to partner with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to its classrooms. The university stated that it wanted to harness the AI to enhance student success, forge new avenues for innovative research, and streamline organisational processes.