Vivendi interested in buying Roularta's French magazines

Roularta Media NV

09/12/2014 13:55

PARIS, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Media group Vivendi  VIV.PA  is 
interested in buying the French magazine titles belonging to 
Roularta Media Group  RLRT.BR  including the news weekly 
L'Express, said Chairman Vincent Bollore on Tuesday.  
    Interviewed on RTL radio, Bollore said such a move would fit 
in with Vivendi's strategy of expanding its presence in media 
and content after spending two years selling assets, including 
two telecom operators and the world's biggest video games maker. 
    "Vivendi's aim is to become a French version of German media 
group Bertelsmann, meaning to bring together all types of French 
content whether it be print, television, or web," he said.  
    "Obviously if there are opportunities that come up for 
acquisitions, we will seize them." 
    Roularta bought roughly ten French magazines in 2006 for 
about 210 million euros ($260 million), including the titles 
L'Expansion and Maison Francaise. The Belgium-based company 
earned three-quarters of its revenues of 676 million euros last 
year from printed media. 
    Investors have been waiting to see what strategy Bollore 
will chart for Vivendi now that the group has sold off four 
units while keeping record label Universal Music Group and 
French pay-TV operator Canal Plus. Its shares have risen 11 
percent this year in anticipation that Vivendi will return a 
chunk of the proceeds from the asset sales to investors. 
    Vivendi shares were down 1.6 percent to 20.36 euros at 1326 
GMT, in line with the French blue-chip index  .FCHI . 
    ($1 = 0.8077 euros) 
 
 (Reporting by Leila Abboud; Editing by Mark Potter) 
 ((leila.abboud@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 51 82; Reuters 
Messaging: leila.abboud.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net; Twitter: 
@labboudles)) 
 
Keywords: ROULARTA MEDIA M&A/VIVENDI