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旺旺集團主管證實，昨天已與私募基金安博凱（MBK）簽下中嘉網路有線電視（CNS）買賣合約，但資金來源等細節不便透露。

中嘉案昨天傳出由旺旺集團、國泰金控前副董事長蔡鎮宇、東森國際以及3家獨立系統台組成的團隊拿下。

媒體報導，這項交易案總金額超過新台幣700億元，若以中嘉目前用戶數115萬戶計算，相當每戶6萬元以上，再創國內有線電視系統標案新天價。

旺旺集團主管今天向中央社記者證實，昨天已與安博凱簽下中嘉的買賣合約，但礙於雙方簽有保密條款，對於合約內容、持股比例、外界關切的資金來源等，皆無法透露。

但旺旺集團強調，昨天簽署的只是買賣合約，最後整個交易案還須主管機關國家通訊傳播委員會（NCC）的同意。

Want Want Group acquires China Network Systems

Bloomberg

Want Want Group (旺旺集團), the conglomerate with businesses from broadcasting to food, said it’s leading an investment group that agreed to buy cable TV operator China Network Systems Co (中嘉網路) from MBK Partners Ltd.

Chao Yu-pei, special assistant to Want Want’s president, said the group signed the agreement on Monday, but declined to provide financial details.

The investors agreed to buy closely held China Network’s stock for about US$1.4 billion and assume US$1 billion of debt, a person familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified because the accord is confidential.

The purchase would allow Want Want chairman Tsai Eng-meng (蔡衍明) to expand his media assets in a market where almost 80 percent of homes tune in to cable TV. For MBK, the sale would help the private equity fund, founded by former Carlyle Group executives, collect more than double the US$600 million it spent buying China Network’s stock more than three years ago.

“If Want Want has media outlets covering the entire Greater China, companies who want to buy advertisements can do it cost effectively,” said Monika Yang, who helps oversee almost US$2 billion at Hamon Asset Management Ltd in Hong Kong. “They are already very successful in the consumer front.”

Want Want outbid Permira Advisers LLP, which teamed up with Ruentex Group (潤泰集團), Macquarie Group Ltd and Bain Capital LLC, the person said. Choosing a Taiwanese buyer will help obtain regulatory approval, the person said.

The sale comes as Daniel Tsai (蔡明忠) and Richard Tsai (蔡明興) — no relation to Tsai Eng-meng — seek to approval to buy Kbro Co (凱擘), the nation’s top cable TV operator, from Carlyle Group.

The National Communications Commission (NCC) said on Oct. 6 it would seek public and expert opinion before deciding whether to approve the purchase of Kbro.

MBK, which bought China Network with the Koo family, effectively controls the cable TV operator through a preference-share arrangement with the local partner, people familiar with the plan said in August.

China Network had 1.05 million subscribers at the end of last year, giving it a 21 percent market share of Taiwan’s cable TV market, while Kbro had a 22 percent share with 1.11 million customers, the NCC said in a July report.