• by Wayne Friedman , April 16, 2014

Media mergers and acquisitions transactions show a slightly uptick in the number of deals and overall volume in the first quarter 2014.

Led by TV station group LIN Media’s deal for Media General for $2.6 billion, there were 434 overall media/marketing deals in the first three months of 2014 -- this versus 423 the quarter before and 417 against the first quarter of 2013, this according to a study by New York investment banker Berkery Noyes.

Total value topped $25.8 billion. This was up slightly from the $25.1 billion in the fourth quarter 2013, and over four times that the value of deals in the first quarter 2013.

The biggest category -- marketing -- continues to grow over the past year overall -- at around 160 deals in the first quarter 2014, from around 140 in the fourth quarter 2013. During the first quarter 2013, deal volume was at around 130.

Internet media deals -- the next big category -- has stayed consistent over the past year with just under 100 deals being done.

Also during the period came two deals from the Alibaba Group, the e-commerce and business-to-business portal business where Yahoo! owns a 24% stake. The company purchased a 60% stake in ChinaVision Media Group, a television and film producer for $805 million. Alibaba also purchased AutoNavi Holdings, a digital mapping firm. Financial deal points were not available.