, is responsible for the German government’s media-related affairs. He said he was initially concerned that the planned takeover of more than 50% of shares in the German mass media company ProSiebenSat1 by the European television group MediaforEurope (MFE) might put media diversity in Germany at risk.
MFE’s CEO is Pier Silvio Berlusconi, the son of the late Italian prime minister and media mogul . Through its holding company Fininvest, the Berlusconi family controls a large part of Italy’s television and advertising market.
On Tuesday, Weimer invited Pier Silvio Berlusconi to the German chancellery in Berlin to clarify the situation.
“We need to know what kind of political influence, the new foreign owners will exert,” Weimer, who was a journalist and publisher before taking up his ministerial post, told German news weekly magazine Der Spiegel a few weeks ago. “How will journalistic quality and independence be preserved? What does this mean for as a television hub? These questions are highly relevant to the preservation of media freedom in Germany. That’s why I’m taking care of it.”
Berlusconi and Weimer agree on editorial independence
Berlusconi was apparently able to give reassuring answers to these questions. After the meeting in Berlin, Weimer stated in writing: “Editorial independence is of central importance — it must not be compromised. We are in agreement on this point, and this is a good prerequisite for a successful undertaking in the German media market.”
Berlusconi assured Weimer that the city of , where ProSiebenSat1 is based, would be strengthened as a result. He said that joint facilities for the entire Berlusconi Group would also relocate there. “We want to produce and offer more localized content tailored to the German audience: more news, more entertainment shows, and more TV series — and over time, fewer acquired formats,” Berlusconi said.
Weimer seemed satisfied and relieved that the Berlusconi Group intended to strengthen Germany as a media hub, develop creative infrastructure, and pay its taxes in the state of .
The meeting appears to have gone surprisingly smoothly, and the two have agreed to hold another soon.
Bavarian regulatory authority has no qualms
In any case, Weimer could not have prevented the takeover anyway, which is a permissible transaction in the European single market. The Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media, which is responsible for the oversight of ProSiebenSat1Group, had already stated in early August that the takeover by MFE posed no threat to media diversity in Germany.
Apart from ProSiebenSat1, the major players in the German television and streaming market are the RTL Group, which is part of the Bertelsmann conglomerate, and the two public broadcasters ARD and ZDF.
At this point, it remains unclear to which extent — if at all — MFE will interfere with ProSiebenSat1’s programming and content. In similar investments, such as in , the company has focused on economic reforms, efficiency, joint advertising strategies, and technical synergies, but has left programming decisions to local companies in their home markets. However, there is speculation that it might sell off companies that are not directly linked to media, such as the price comparison portal Verivox or the dating service Parship.
Berlusconi has said that his goal with MFE is to build a powerful pan-European counterweight to
Despite initial hesitation, ProSiebenSat1 has welcomed the takeover by MFE, as MFE will also take on the German company’s high debts incurred due to declining advertising revenues.
As a result, analysts have viewed ProSiebenSat1’s economic prospects as rather poor and advised against buying shares.
Will Berlusconi enter politics?
Weimer might also be concerned that Berlusconi wants to use the growing MFE group to launch a political career. For years, Berlusconi has said that he does not want to follow in his conservative father’s footsteps. But this summer, he sounded a different note.
“My father entered politics at the age of 58,” he said at a press event near Milan in July. “I am 56. Today, I have no intention to, and do not even think about politics. Looking to the future, I don’t rule it out, just as I don’t rule out many other things in my life.”
He has made no secret of his admiration for Italy’s far-right prime minister, , saying she leads “the best government in Europe” with great determination. , is part of Meloni’s coalition, as is the nationalist Lega. Elections are due to be held in Italy by September 2027. Some Italian media outlets have speculated that Berlusconi could become minister of the economy should Meloni win again.
German journalists’ association regrets takeover
The German Journalists’ Association (DJV) has sharply criticized the takeover. “It is regrettable, but apparently inevitable, that ProSiebenSat1 is being taken over by Berlusconi,” said DJV chairman Mika Beuster. “MFE offers no guarantee for the continued existence of media diversity and critical journalism.” He added that there was a risk the German broadcaster would gradually be brought in line with Berlusconi’s populist agenda.
Takeovers in the European television market are not unusual. The RTL Group just bought Sky Deutschland from the US company Comcast, though the deal must still be approved by the competition authorities. RTL belongs to Bertelsmann, which also owns channels in , , Belgium, and many other countries. A Czech investor group had also wanted to take over ProSiebenSat1 but it withdrew its offer.
Note: Deutsche Welle, which is governed by public law, is financed from the budget of the Minister of State for Culture and Media but is independent in terms of programming and content.
This article was translated from German.
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