Vivendi, Mediaset Ink Wide-Ranging Pact

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PARIS/ROME: Vivendi has reached a deal to acquire 100 percent of Mediaset’s pay-TV business as part of a wide-ranging partnership with the Italian media giant.

The terms of the pact see 3.5 percent of Vivendi’s share capital being exchanged for 3.5 percent of Mediaset’s share capital and 100 percent of the share capital of Mediaset Premium. For Vivendi, the acquisition of Mediaset Premium increases its global subscriber base to over 13 million.

In addition, Mediaset said the two companies will “develop a content production project on an international scale” for broadcast on their networks in Italy, France and Spain.

Moreover, “the online properties of the two groups in Italy, France, Spain and Germany are intended to converge into a single project able to ensure robust technological development, increasingly evolved customer experience and a wider offer of premium films and TV series.” The goal is to eventually expand this OTT platform to other partners.