Telefonica and Televisa in a pay-TV deal?
March 27, 2008
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Mexico’s largest TV group Televisa is approaching Spain’s largest telco operator Telefonica in an attempt to enter into a pay-TV alliance in the Mexican market edging out dominant player Telmex, controlled by Carlos Slim.
The president of Televisa, Emilio Azcarraga Jean, said that the TV group is “looking for opportunities” to better its position as a telco player and “didn’t reject an alliance with Telefónica”.
Televisa owns satellite pay TV operator Sky Mexico, has interests in cable with its recent acquisition of TVI and Cablemas and controls Mexico City telco Bestel. But Telmex controls 90 per cent of Mexican land lines and is awaiting a government license to move into Internet pay TV.