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European TV Channels Want to Merge to Fight U.S. Rivals
- French channel M6’s owner Bertelsmann favors deal with TF1
- Watchdog says ‘obsolete’ rules on media control should change
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A push for mergers that would help European TV networks compete with fast-growing U.S. streaming platforms is putting the region’s strict media ownership rules under strain.
Bertelsmann SE’s 48% stake in the owner of French channel M6 is up for sale and the German media company is leaning toward a tie-up with rival Television Francaise 1 SA. It would be the most dramatic shake-up of France’s audiovisual landscape in decades and is likely to draw intense scrutiny from the country’s competition and media watchdogs.