Mediaset denies News Corp sale

Italian broadcaster Mediaset has denied reports that it plans to sell a stake to rival News Corp.

Mediaset vice chairman Pier Silvio Berlusconi told the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting that it would not sell a stake to News Corp, which operates rival pay-TV service Sky Italia. “Such a decision would be up to [investment company] Fininvest [but] I’m against it and the issue is not on the agenda either today or in the future,” he said. The two companies have become more direct competitors since Mediaset moved into the Italian pay-TV market.