Faced with mounting competition from Netflix and technology giants, traditional media companies including Disney, WarnerMedia, and Viacom rushed to consolidate, launching new online video services in a last-ditch effort to redefine the industry. Anna Nicolaou, the FT’s US Media Correspondent, will talk to Jean-Briac Perrette, President and CEO of Discovery International, James Moore, CEO of Vine Alternative Investments, and Kate Ward, President of Vice Studios, about the major shift underway and where the industry is headed.

23 February 2021

In recent years a whole new generation of companies have stayed private longer than usual as they shied away from the scrutiny of going down the traditional IPO route. A handful are now opting for the so-called direct listing alternative, which allows companies to skip the much dreaded roadshows to win over institutional investors and saves them millions of dollars in investment banking fees.

17 November 2020

Once relegated to the backwaters of finance for their propensity to strike bad deals, special purpose acquisition companies (Spacs) have once again become the topic du jour on Wall Street. Touting their ability to help private companies go public faster without the complexities of an initial public offering, Spacs are more popular than ever. Despite an ongoing global pandemic and economic uncertainty, Spacs have raised $23.9bn globally this year, surpassing last year's record by 70 per cent, data from Refinitiv shows. White shoe law firms and investment banks that for years shunned the industry are now eager to get a slice of the generous fees.

17 September 2020