Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc. has decided to negotiate with major Internet shopping mall operator Rakuten Inc. on a business tieup in the form of online distribution of programs via Rakuten's portal site, sources said Sunday.
TBS is expected to include the decision in its final response letter to Rakuten's proposal for a management integration, which the TV broadcaster plans to submit Wednesday, the sources said.
TBS will likely reject the integration offer itself but may be offering the tieup as a pillar of their cooperation, they said.
The broadcaster has already begun distributing movies, dramas and music programs through the services of Softbank BB Corp. and KDDI Corp.
Other private broadcasters, including Fuji Television Network Inc. and Nippon Television Network Corp., have taken part in online program distribution services.
TBS President Hiroshi Inoue is expected to reject the integration offer when he meets Wednesday with Rakuten President Hiroshi Mikitani in their first meeting since Rakuten, the biggest shareholder in the broadcaster, proposed Oct. 13 that the two companies integrate their management under a joint holding company.
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