Contact:
Julian Mattocks
Phone: +43-1-81140-308
E-Mail: mattocks@pressetext.com
| Pressbox | 
|
Stockholm (pte018/11.01.2005/11:20) - Three Nordic companies are in a struggle for supremacy of the Nordic broadcasting market. As the Financial Times (FT) http://www.ft.com reports, Sweden's Bonnier group http://www.bonnier.com , Norway's Schibsted http://www.schibsted.no and Swedish investment firm Proventus http://www.proventus.se are all vying for shares of the region's three largest television channels. Ever since the Copenhagen government put Denmark's largest commercial channel up for sale last year, there has been excited interest in the idea of linking the region's leading television stations: TV4 of Sweden, MTV3 of Finland and TV2 of Denmark.
The biggest struggle amongst the three companies is for Finland's Alma Media, which controls 24 per cent of TV4, Sweden's biggest commercial channel, which reaches 9 million people. The Finnish media group also has complete ownership of MTV3, Finland's largest television station, which is watched by the majority of 4.5m Finns. In December, Schibsted, Norway's biggest media group with a 33 per cent stake in the largest television station there, started moves to wrest control of Alma Media and TV4 from the privately-owned Bonnier group of Sweden. Since then, a series of moves has left Schibsted with 20.1 per cent of TV4 and option to take another 5.9 per cent, while Bonnier has 27.7 per cent in the channel. Schibsted has also made an unsolicited bid of 705 million euros for Alma Media, which is expected to be countered by Bonnier, who controls 33 per cent of the Finnish media group.
The latest twist in the struggle has seen Swedish investment company Proventus acquire 15 per cent of Alma Media voting rights, having taken 15 per cent in TV4 last week. However, it is yet to be seen who will win the battle for Alma Media, which plans to respond to Schibsted's offer this month. Analysts believe a victory for the Bonnier group is likely. "My best guess is that Bonnier will take over Alma Media in the end," said Matti Riikonen, an analyst with Evli Securities. The bid from Schibsted has to be accepted by a third of shareholders. After Bonnier, a number of insurance companies belonging to Finland's Sampo group hold the largest stake, 20.8 per cent in Alma Media. "Bonnier has said it is pleased with the acquisitions by Proventus, which leads many to believe there's a silent co-operation between Proventus and Bonnier," Riikonen said. "Also, TV4 and Alma Media share long experience together with the board run by Bonnier and Sampo officials, I don't think shareholders will be keen to break that up," he added.
There are also eight bidders for Denmark's TV2. The Danish Government, who wants to retain more than 40 per cent in TV2, has said that price will not be the deciding factor, which leads many to believe that political factors may well be crucial on the Danish front.
(end)
|
|
