Italian broadcaster Mediaset and pay-television broadcaster Sky Italia are in “contact” over a possible deal for the former’s pay-television division, Mediaset Premium, according to Reuters.
The news agency, citing two sources close to the matter, said Mediaset is exploring its options following the collapse of its proposed partnership with French media company Vivendi.
Mediaset, one of the leading sports broadcasters in Italy, is currently seeking damages from Vivendi after it stepped away from an April agreement to take full control of Mediaset Premium.
Reuters noted that formal negotiations between Mediaset and Sky cannot commence until the former company’s legal dispute with Vivendi is resolved. The case is expected to start in March and Mediaset on Friday said it had dropped an additional request for a court to order the seizure of a 3.5 per cent stake in Vivendi, which was part of the originally proposed deal.
The latest developments come after Mediaset’s production unit, Medusa, last week sold exclusive pay-television rights to Sky to air its Italian movies in the upcoming 2016-17 season. With rights for Medusa films having been previously shared between Sky and Mediaset Premium, Reuters noted the alliance represented signs the two companies are coming closer together.