Dogan considers Premiere Star buy-in

[SAT-WORLD]

Turkish media company Dogan is considering the acquisition of a stake in German pay-TV platform Premiere Star.

According to German industry publication Kontakter, negotiations are currently taking place, with contact having been established some time ago with Dogan Media Group and its CEO Mehmet Ali Yalçindag. According to the report, Premiere Star’s managing director Wolfram Winter has made several trips to Istanbul to discuss a possible participation. A Premiere spokesman did not wish to comment, but stressed that: “Premiere is open for new investors in Premiere Star. However, we want to retain 51 per cent of the shares.” No statement could be obtained from Dogan.

Dogan, which operates commercial TV channels such as Kanal D and Star TV, last attempted to enter the German television market in 2006 when it made a bid to acquire TV group ProSiebenSat.1. After the sale to financial investors KKR and Permira was completed, Yalçindag explained that Dogan was still interested in acquisition possibilities in Germany. “Our offer for ProSiebenSat.1 was for us the first step, but not the last, to develop our media company beyond Turkey,” he said.

With its stake of 66.3%, Premiere is currently the largest shareholder in Premiere Star. Other shares are held by credit institute HypoVereinsbank (10%), Turner Broadcasting System (8.5%), EM.Sport Media and Medienengagement East (both five per cent), tmc Content Group (three per cent), Atlas Ventures (1.1 per cent) and Wellington Partners (1.1 per cent). The bouquet, which is offered via Astra (19.2° East) to DTH households in Germany and Austria, has so far won more than 170,000 subscribers.

Source:Rapid Tv News