Providence Equity Partners

Infobox Company
name = Providence Equity Partners

type =

Providence Equity Partners is a private equity firm headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island that focuses on investments in media and telecommunications. It is one of the largest private investment firms specializing in equity investments in media and communications companies, managing around $21 billion in equity capital.

The principals of Providence Equity manage funds with over $9 billion in equity commitments and have invested in more than 80 companies operating in over 20 countries since the firm's inception in 1991. Current and previous areas of investment include cable television content and distribution, wireless and wireline telephony, publishing, radio and television broadcasting and other media and communications sectors.

Significant investments include VoiceStream Wireless, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Music Group, Freedom Communications, PanAmSat, AT&T Canada, eircom, Ziggo, Kabel Deutschland, Telcordia Technologies, Language Line, F&W Publications, USIS, ProSiebenSat.1 (DE), Bresnan Broadband Holdings, The Phones 4U Group (UK) , Idea Cellular , CanalDigitaal (NL) and TV Vlaanderen (BE) Bell Canada.

The firm has offices in Providence, New York, and London, New Delhi and Hong Kong.

Acquisitions

On June 30, 2007, BCE announced that the company entered into a definitive agreement for BCE to be acquired pursuant to a plan of arrangement by an investor group led by Teachers Private Capital, the private investment arm of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Providence Equity Partners Inc. and Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (the "investor group"). The all-cash transaction is valued at C$51.7 billion (US$48.5 billion), including C$16.9 billion (US$15.9 billion) of debt, preferred equity and minority interests. The arrangement was approved on September 21, 2007 at a Special Meeting of shareholders by more than 97% of the votes cast by holders of common and preferred shares, voting as a single class.

Entertainment

On April 20, 2007, Providence Equity Partners entered into an agreement to acquire all of the television stations currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. [ [http://www.clearchannel.com/Corporate/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=1943 Clear Channel ] ] These stations will be operated through a newly formed holding company known as Newport Television, LLC.

The following stations are owned by Diamond Castle Holdings, L.L.C., but affiliated with Providence Equity Partners. Lamco was purchased by Bluestone Television in 2004 and Bluestone sold to Diamond Castle Holdings, L.L.C:

References

http://www.bce.ca/en/investors/shareholderinfo/privatization/

External links

* [http://www.provequity.com/ Providence Equity Partners Website]