Sanoma, De Mol Buy ProSieben Media Assets for $1.8 Billion

Sanoma Oyj and a group of investors including John De Mol agreed to buy ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG’s Dutch and Belgian broadcasting and print assets in a deal valued at 1.23 billion euros ($1.8 billion).

Finland’s biggest media company and De Mol, who helped create the “Big Brother” television show, will purchase the Munich-based broadcaster’s Dutch assets including the SBS 6 and Net5 TV channels, they said in statements today. In Belgium, Sanoma is teaming up with media group Corelio and former sports journalist Wouter Vandenhaute and TV producer Erik Watte.