Starz, the home of Outlander, Black Sails, and The Missing, has been meeting with potential buyers as the company aims to sell itself for $5 billion.
CBS Corp., which owns premium rival Showtime, and Lionsgate, are said to be among the most likely buyers, according to the New York Post.
Corporate boss John Malone, who owns a 49 percent stake in the channel, thinks it would be in a better position to compete with HBO and Showtime if it were part of a company with additional cable channels.
21st Century Fox has also met with Starz brass, but “the meeting was more of a courtesy” reports the Post.
Also on the table is something more akin to a “strategic alignment” or asset swaps. Starz’ market cap is $3.32 billion.
Read More: New York Post
Brief Take: A sale or alignment with a company that has other cable assets could help Starz better position its brand in the marketplace while building off increased positive buzz around the premium net’s original series.
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