LONDON (Thomson Financial) - News Corp. is considering bidding for European
pay-TV companies Premiere AG og Germany and Digital+ of Spain, the Wall Street
Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.
According to analysts, the two satellite broadcasters together would likely
cost more than 4 billion euros, the report said.
Over the past six months, News Corp. has built a 25.01 percent stake in
Premiere and is considering making an offer for the whole company, WSJ reported,
citing a person familiar with the matter. Even if News Corp. does not make a
bid, it wants to install its own managers in the company, this person told WSJ.
On Wednesday, the European Commission cleared News Corp's proposed
acquisition of Premiere, subject to conditions which ensure third-party access
to the German pay-television operator's satellite platform.
News Corp. is also mulling a bid for Digital+, which may be put up for sale
by its owner, the Spanish media conglomerate Prisa SA, the WSJ report said.
The sale process is likely to begin by the end of July, WSJ said, adding
that other possible bidders include Vivendi SA of France and Spanish telecom
groups Cableuropa SAU, which operates as ONO, and Telefonica SA.
ONO and Telefónica declined to comment to the paper but a a person close to
News Corp. said no action was imminent and there is no certainty News Corp. will
try to buy either company.
If News Corp. buys Digital+ or Premiere, the acquired companies would become
the responsibility of James Murdoch, the head of News Corp.'s European and Asian
operations, the report said.
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