RTL And Equity Firms Could Make Bid For ITV

RTL, Europe’s largest broadcaster, is understood to be working with private equity backers on a possible £5 billion bid for ITV.

According to a report in today’s Financial Times, the RTL bid would see private equity groups putting forward most of the funds needed to acquire ITV, as this would allow RTL to acquire a stake in ITV without having to call on parent firm Bertelsmann.

If RTL does bid for ITV it may have to sell UK terrestrial channel Five, as, owning both channels would see it have control of more than 50% of the UK TV advertising market and 605 of the commercial TV market.

The news of the RTL bid comes hot on the heels of NTL announcing that they would enter into talks with ITV about a possible merger deal (see NTL Telewest Could Merge With ITV)

However, any merger deal between NTL and ITV could see the Office of Fair Trading require NTL to sell its stake in UKTV (see Office Of Fair Trading Could Intervene In NTL/ITV Merger).

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com RAB: 020 7306 2500 www.rtlgroup.com