Bauer to buy Portuguese radio stations

The Portuguese regulator ERC says it will not oppose plans by the German Bauer Group to buy a number of radio stations which belong to the Media Capital Group.

If the €69.7 million deal goes ahead, Bauer will take control of all Media Capital radios including Rádio Comercial, Cidade FM, M80, Smooth and Vodafone FM.

The competition authority (AdC) gave prior notice on 15 February of an operation by which Bauer Media Holdings proposed to acquire the exclusive control of MCR II – Media Capital Radios (MCR) which asked the media regulator entity ERC (Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social) for an in-depth report on the deal and the business.
The ERC’s decision was positive. “It proposed that the ERC board should not oppose the deal since it was unlikely to cause undue imbalances within the Portuguese radio station sector or call into question values of pluralism or endanger a wide range of opinions normally associated with a balanced and free broadcasting sector, nor block access to content”.
The regulator also states that “possible risks from the proposed transaction are not related to freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity, or with freedom to broadcast and or having access to media content in the geographical markets in which the parties are present or for the products identified”.
The radios are a mature business within the Media Capital group of companies which is part-owned (35.38%) by Pluris Investments owned by entrepreneur Mário Ferreira. The sale will accelerate the development of audiovisual and digital production”, states Media Capital in a communiqué.
Bauer Media Group is a multi-business company that entertains, informs, and serves over 200 million people. Family-owned in the 5th generation, its focus is on customers and long-term success. It has four Business Areas – Publishing, Audio, Online Comparison Platforms, and SME Services. It operates in 13 countries.