Global M&A deal value shrunk in half for media and entertainment

- Kerry Flynn, author ofAxios Pro: Media Deals

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
The deal value for global M&A activity in media and entertainment shrunk in half for H1 2022 compared to H2 2021.
Why it matters: Despite some massive TMT deals announced this year, the overall size of dealmaking has dropped significantly.
By the numbers: The value of M&A activity in media and entertainment decreased to $105.1 billion from Jan. 1 to June 28, compared to $215.5 billion over the same period the prior year, according to Refinitiv.
- The number of deals in media and entertainment for H1 2022 was 1,546 deals compared to 1,710 deals in H1 2021.
- Overall M&A activity during this time dropped 22% in deal value, per Refinitiv.
Meanwhile, the telecommunications sector only dropped 3.6% in deal value compared to this same time period the year prior.
Of note: The year's top deal in value is in TMT with Activision Blizzard's sale to Microsoft for $68.7 billion.
Go deeper: Global deal activity plummets in first half of 2022