Mediaset eyes Prisa assets

Italian media group Mediaset’s interest in Spanish pay-TV platform Digital Plus could be linked to a move to integrate free-to-air channel Cuatro, owned by Digital Plus’s parent company Prisa, into its Spanish TV business Telecinco, according to Italian press reports.

Prisa remains committed to offloading some of its units as it fights mounting debts, with Digital Plus a key asset. Reports suggest that a move for Digital Plus and Cuatro would be made with support from Telefónica. The Spanish telco is currently facing pressure from the Italian government over the stake it holds in Telecom Italia. According to Italian daily La Repubblica, Telefónica’s support for Mediaset could be linked to its desire to retain its stake in the Italian telco. Mediaset is owned by Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.