The Puls 4 division of German media group ProSiebenSat.1 Media is set to undertake a major restructuring of ATV after concluding its takeover deal for the Austrian commercial broadcaster.
The takeover was first announced in February but closed yesterday (Thursday) after receiving approval from the Federal Competition Authority, Federal Cartel Prosecutor and media authorities in Austria.
Puls 4 is acquiring ATV from Tele München Fernseh GmbH & Co. Produktionsgesellschaft, with its new owner stating it will be maintained as a full-service broadcaster with “clear positioning”. ATV will benefit from ties to the wider ProSiebenSat.1 Media group, with plans to bring marketing, locations, technical operations and studios together by the start of 2018 and begin cooperating closely in administration and purchasing immediately.
Thomas Gruber, previously program director in the management board of ProSiebenSat.1 Puls 4, has been appointed as ATV managing director. In addition, Bernhard Albrecht, chief financial officer of ProSiebenSat.1 Puls 4 Group, will lead the restructuring and the merger together with Gruber.
Gruber said: “Through the integration into ProSiebenSat.1 Puls 4 Group and the necessary implementation of the planned restructuring, we are securing ATV's position in the Austrian TV market in the long run and enabling new growth opportunities for the station. ATV is a very good complement to the ProSiebenSat.1 Puls 4 portfolio and can be marketed effectively alongside the group's other stations.”
Albrecht added: “In light of the urgent need for economic restructuring at ATV, we will consolidate the organisation of the station group. This is expected to result in the loss of around 70 jobs at ATV by the beginning of 2018.
“We are of course trying to find a fast solution secured by a social-compensation plan for all affected employees and have already identified around 20 open positions within ProSiebenSat.1 Puls 4 Group for which we will now give preferential consideration to ATV employees.”
ATV commenced broadcasting in 2003, with ATV2 following in 2011 and ATVsmart in 2016. ATV’s last significant sports-rights deal came when it last year acquired a package of rights to games from the Uefa Euro 2016 national team football tournament under a sublicensing agreement with public-service broadcaster ORF.