The Russian antimonopoly law regulatory authority approved the holding’s purchase.
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) authorized the holding “National Media Group” (NMG) to buy a share of “Synergy” LTD, which owns the Viasat-family Russian TV channels. The government agency’s resolution is published on the official web site.
We shall recall that the Mediasat previously announced the media holding’s intentions to buy out a package of Viasat pay-TV channels.
The Antimonopoly Service also approved the petition of the “Discovery Holdings” LTD to acquire 2/3 of the authorized capital of the “Turner Children’s Programs” LTD (Children’s channels Cartoon Network and Boomerang).
The Mediasat just featured before that by acquiring children’s TV channels the Discovery would deal with developing that niche. In the nearest future, the company will also buy out the other Turner’s segment, i.e. the “Turner News Programs and Life Style”, which is represented by the CNN channel.
We shall recall that the foreign TV companies are prompted to change their structure due to the legislative amendments, which do not allow them to own the share in the Russian mass media exceeding 20%. Just for example, the NMG and the Discovery informed about setting up the joint venture “Media Alliance”, actually engaged in managing the family of the Discovery and Eurosport channels in Russia. On top of that, the joint venture will deal with managing the Turner’s three assets as well. The company “CTC Media” also had to effect serious changes and sold 80% of its stocks to the “UTV” Holding, owned by well-known Russian businessmen Mr. Usmanov and Mr. Tavrin.
