India’s NDTV has called off its partnership with US programming Scripps Networks Interactive, under which Scripps was to take a majority stake in NDTV’s lifestyle TV business.


The “strategic alliance” between the two companies was agreed in November 2009. Scripps was to buy 69% of NDTV’s lifestyle unit NDTV Lifestyle, which includes NDTV Good Times English-language lifestyle channel, for US$55 million. The deal also saw the partners “contemplating the eventual launch of other lifestyle television channels through the NDTV Lifestyle partnership”.

In a somewhat terser statement than that released back in November, NDTV gave no reason for the deal not going ahead. “'The NDTV Group has decided to exercise its right to terminate the definitive agreements and is in the process of terminating them,'' the statement said.