MFE, the former Mediaset Italia, is very clear about its plans for the future, “to create a pan-European media group.” The first step to achieve this was to launch , its subsidiary in Spain. But his plans do not end there.
Sources close to the operation confirm to elEconomista.es that MFE’s next target would be Channel 4, the United Kingdom television network. It is a public conglomerate financed with advertising, however, Boris Johnson announced in April that among his plans is to privatize it. The reason? It considers that it cannot compete with streaming platforms such as Netflix or Prime Video.
The sources consulted by this means explain that it is a very good objective. Although Johnson’s plans seem clear, the details of what the privatization will look like or what price it would cost are not yet known, but it seems that he wants to do it before the 2024 elections.
But it is not only focused on the United Kingdom and Spain, France and Germany also present significant growth opportunities. It must be taken into account that in the first, the two main private audiovisual groups (M6 and TF1) are immersed in a merger process that has already lasted more than a year. This union could breach antitrust laws, so it needs the approval of the French authorities, a scenario that would be removed if Emmanuel Macron loses power, something that seems to end up happening. If this finally happens, MFE would be willing to start talks with RTL, the group that owns M6, to acquire it and include it in its pan-European group.
In Germany it already has a presence, it owns 25% of the capital of ProSieben, a private television channel, but MFE’s plans include increasing this participation. The sources consulted by elEconomista.es suggest that the company owned by the Berlusconi family wants to reach 29%, which would make it the largest shareholder.
The CNMV expects to reach 55 million annually
MFE wants to make these new movements with the synergies it obtains after the takeover bid for Mediaset. According to the brochure that both companies communicated to the CNMV, they expect to reach 55 million per year in the fourth year of taking full control.
MFE’s international ambition is no secret. The communication group itself explains in the brochure that it is a “new operational integration strategy” with which it intends to gain “international presence” that will offer “opportunities that cannot be exploited with the current strategy and decision-making process due to its local focus.
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