A lesser evil

9 Oct 2017 By Lisa Jucca Follow @LJucca

The French conglomerate is in talks with Silvio Berlusconi’s Mediaset, after falling out over a deal to buy the mogul’s pay-TV unit. Vivendi may not get a good price, but attacks by regulators and Berlusconi’s rising political clout could make a protracted dispute more painful.

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French media group Vivendi and Italian broadcaster Mediaset are in talks to resolve a legal dispute, Reuters reported on Oct. 9 citing an Italian source close to the matter.

Mediaset and companies linked to it are suing Vivendi for damages of at least 3 billion euros, Vivendi said in its first-half report. Mediaset is accusing Vivendi of failing to honour an April 2016 agreement to buy its pay-TV business Mediaset Premium.

Vivendi owns a 28.8 percent stake in Mediaset, making it the group’s second-largest shareholder after Silvio Berlusconi’s family. Vivendi also owns 23.9 percent of Telecom Italia.

Italy’s media regulator, AgCom, ruled on April 18 that Vivendi should reduce its stake in Mediaset or Telecom Italia because it violates the country’s media plurality laws.

Context News

French media group Vivendi and Italian broadcaster Mediaset are in talks to resolve a legal dispute, Reuters reported on Oct. 9 citing an Italian source close to the matter.

Vivendi owns a 28.8 percent stake in Mediaset, making it the group’s second-largest shareholder after Silvio Berlusconi’s family. Vivendi also owns 23.9 percent of Telecom Italia.

Italy’s media regulator, AgCom, ruled on April 18 that Vivendi should reduce its stake in Mediaset or Telecom Italia because it violates the country’s media plurality laws.

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