Alex Webb, Columnist

Billionaire Cable Cowboy Is Ready for His Close-Up

John Malone could use Vodafone cash to expand in movie and TV production.

May 9, 2018 at 10:50 AM UTC

Alex Webb is a correspondent for Bloomberg Quicktake. He previously covered the technology, telecoms and media industries in London, San Francisco and Munich.

The siren call of the Silver Screen.
Photographer: Silver Screen Collection/Moviepix

Provide news feedback or report an error

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

This article is for subscribers only.

Vodafone Group Plc and John Malone-controlled Liberty Global Plc have finally made it down the aisle. It may not be the blowout nuptials that many hoped for, or at least not yet (the U.K. remains absent from the feast.) But mobile phone giant Vodafone is buying German and east European cable businesses representing almost a quarter of Liberty's revenue.

As long as fierce local opposition from companies such as Deutsche Telekom AG doesn’t scupper its plans, Liberty will walk away with 10.8 billion euros ($12.7 billion) in cash. Vodafone will take on 7.6 billion euros in debt from the German unit it's acquiring, UnityMedia.