Sale of Mediaset’s R2 unit to Sky Italia is off
April 15, 2019
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
The sale of Mediaset’s pay-TV services and technology unit R2 to Sky Italia has fallen through.
According to a statement issued by both broadcasters, the decision not to go-ahead with the deal follows the investigation of the Italian Antitrust Authority, from which has emerged that the body is unlikely to grant an unconditional authorization.
The sale of R2, a unit distinct from pay-TV platform Mediaset Premium, was made possible by the “London Plan”, communicated by Mediaset in 2017, which announced the refocusing of the Group’s strategy in the pay-TV sector.
The parties have now agreed on the modalities for the return of R2 to Mediaset Group, despite the fact that it no longer offers pay-TV and therefore no longer needs such services.
Sky Italia has now requested Mediaset to continue to provide the technical platform services supporting DTT broadcasting – with the exception of commercial, marketing and customer management activities – to R2 on a non-exclusive basis until 30 June 2021.
This does not preclude the possibility that the platform will be open to third-party users on fair, transparent and non-discriminatory terms.
For its part, Mediaset has confirmed it will provide the service with an adequate economic return generated by a two-year contract.