Vivendi Plan for Mediaset Said to Include Telecom Italia Role
- Phone carrier would form partnership with Premium pay-TV unit
- Feuding companies would unite to fight Sky in Italian market
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Vivendi SA is preparing a new plan to settle its dispute with Mediaset SpA, which would allow them to team with phone carrier Telecom Italia SpA in the Italian pay-TV market, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.
France’s Vivendi, led by billionaire Chairman Vincent Bollore, and Mediaset, founded by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, would work together to challenge rival Sky Plc, the market’s biggest pay-TV player, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing private negotiations. Vivendi and Mediaset would each own 44.5 percent of Mediaset’s Premium pay-TV business, the people said.