Tuesday, November 8, 2016

SFR could separate a part of its press titles – The Echoes

After you have multiplied redemptions of newspapers, Patrick Drahi believes that the time of the reorganization rang. SFR, its telecoms operator, could in fact separate a part of the titles of the press that he had recovered in April with Altice, its parent company. “We may be required to reorganize our portfolio of newspapers, both through acquisitions assignments, “said Michel Combes, ceo of Altice,” Echos “, in the margins of the press conference for the launch of the local channel BFM Paris, Monday evening. SFR intends to remain as a newspaper editor, but by streamlining its portfolio.

Specifically, the telecom operator now has more than twenty-five newspapers, including a dozen professional titles. Two are the pillars which he has no intention of parting : “The Express” and ” Release “. For the rest, everything is open. SFR holds titles as diverse as “The Student” or ” Point of View “, two magazines that earn money, that may be of interest to the ” Figaro “. Marc Leafy, skipper of the Figaro, had tried, once, to redeem these securities from their publisher, Roularta, who had preferred to Altice. Marc Leafy familiar with these titles to be directed when he was the boss of The Express-Roularta.

Arbitration

SFR also has ” Cosmétiquemag “, ” Strategies “, ” Pneumatic “, or ” Coiffure de Paris “, ” Le journal des telecoms “, ” Spare &repair “, ” The Journal of the Fleets “… Those belonged to Marc Laufer and his group NewsCo that he sold, in 2015, to Patrick Drahi. But as he has recently left Altice, and SFR suggested from buying back its securities, handles the boss of a group competitor.

According to a business banker, some newspapers such as “The Student” and “Point of view” could generate a lot of interest and the bidding could escalate quickly.

Under the banner SFR Release, the group had shown great ambitions. This possible transfer of securities, does it mean that SFR waives this strategy booth digital press? Not necessarily so. “It is not necessary to have the titles to distribute,” said a connoisseur in the industry.

Even if SFR is rather, for all of its businesses, in a logic of convergence and vertical integration with one side of the pipe and the other content, it may want to review its assets to focus on its strengths. “The teams need to keep their energy for titles that have potential and make trade-offs on the other “, continues the same source. Especially within Altice Media, Alain Weill, his boss, would be more inclined to focus his attention on the audiovisual…

Fabienne Schmitt, Nicolas Madelaine and Marina Alcaraz

LikeTweet

No comments:

Post a Comment