Walt Disney Co's deal with Twenty-First Century Fox Inc gives the world's best-known entertainment company new advantages in India, such as cricket rights and local-language TV shows for the fast-growing media market. Through the USD52.4 billion deal, announced on Thursday morning, Disney would be able to distribute its programming on Star India, operator of 69 TV channels in eight languages, as well as the popular Hotstar streaming service. Disney also would gain global rights to professional cricket. "It is an amazing opportunity to get into the best developing market in the world," MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson said, "but it is highly competitive."

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