Televisa eyes Univision ‘plan B’
TELEVISA EYES UNIVISION 'PLAN B'
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: James Politi]
Televisa, the Mexican media group, is considering establishing its own US broadcasting network if it fails to acquire Univision Communications, the largest US Spanish-language television and radio group, which is being auctioned for more than $12 billion. Televisa’s plans include an alliance with NBC’s Telemundo unit, Paxson Communications, or McGraw Hill. Each would offer the Mexican group a platform for entry into the fast-growing Hispanic-American media market, which serves more than 10 million households. Televisa’s first choice when it comes to moving into the US remains the acquisition of Univision, which it is pursuing in a consortium. Its main rival in the auction is a second consortium including billionaire Haim Saban, Providence Equity Partners, Thomas H Lee Partners, and others. However, according to one person familiar with Televisa’s thinking, there has been a growing realization within the Mexican company of the need to develop a “plan B†in case the price needed to clinch Univision becomes too high.
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Televisa eyes Univision ‘plan B’