Zee Entertainment-Sony Pictures merger: Making of a media behemoth

The most important part of the deal is the $1.57 billion that will be infused into the new entity by Sony

What could the entry of a Rs 14,000-crore media company into the Indian market mean?

One, more investment in streaming. Two, a fiercer bidding war for the Indian Premier League (IPL), Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rights and other sporting events. Three, more consolidation as other firms scramble to scale up in a market that is increasingly being dominated by tech-media giants like Google, Facebook, Apple and Jio. Four, a ray of hope and some fresh capital in the Rs 1,383-billion Indian media market battered by the pandemic.

On Wednesday this week, the Rs 5,900-crore Sony Pictures