US telecom giant Comcast looks to buy media and entertainment arm for £1.6bn but not programme-maker ITV Studios
• Business live – latest updates
ITV has told the market it is in preliminary talks to sell its broadcasting arm to the parent company of Sky in a £1.6bn deal, sending shares soaring s high as 18% in early trading.
Comcast, the US telecom company which also owns NBCUniversal, is looking to snap up ITV’s media and entertainment arm, which includes its free-to-air TV channels in the UK, as well as its ITVX streaming platform.