Telefonica and Italian broadcaster Mediaset have a 15-day term in which to decide whether to complete the purchase of satellite pay-TV platform Digital+ from Spanish media group Prisa, reports Europa Press. The ultimatum comes after Prisa informed Spain's market regulator CNMV that the Polanco family, through its Rucandio holding, had lowered its stake in the media group from 31.6 percent to 25.53 percent. As a result, a clause in the shareholders' agreement between the three companies has been triggered and Telefonica and Mediaset, each of which own a 22 percent stake in Digital+, now have 15 days to decide whether to proceed with the acquisition of Prisa's 56 percent share. Prisa has informed the Italian and Spanish companies of the development.
The acquisition of Digital+ by Telefonica would enable the operator to access Prisa’s TV catalogue, including its rights to live Spanish football games, above all the highly lucrative Barcelona-Real Madrid ‘classic’. In addition, it would enable Telefonica to reach areas of rural Spain not currently covered by its ADSL and fibre broadband network.
Mediaset’s interest stems from its recent announcement that it may merge its pay-TV operations in its core markets of Italy and Spain, a plan that envisages the creation of a new company holding 100 percent of Italian pay-TV service Mediaset Premium as well as Mediaset’s stake in Digital+.
