Espace buys Canal 3

Radio Espace Media Groupe continues to expand. The Espace Media Groupe is ending the struggle for survival of Biel's Canal 3 radio station. The previous sponsor, a foundation, is dissolving and transferring the license, assets and contracts to Radio Canal 3 AG, which was founded by the EM Groupe. Whether representatives of the foundation will sit on the board of the new company is still open, said Bruno Wyss, President of the Foundation Board. Polo Stäheli, CEO of EM Groupe, did not rule out the possibility that Radio Canal 3 AG could later become part of Berner Zeitung AG (BZ). Radio ExtraBern and TeleBärn are also subsidiaries of BZ. The latter is 49 percent owned by Zurich-based Tamedia. Canal 3's programs will remain independent and bilingual. EM Groupe intends to seek synergies with its other electronic media primarily in the administrative and commercial areas. For example, the advertising sales company Conradio will also be responsible for Canal 3, said Stäheli. However, he could not yet say whether there would be any changes to the membership of Pool 2000. EM Groupe does not want to forego the share of the fee-splitting that Canal 3 has received up to now, but it does want to forego money from the city of Biel and the canton of Berne. Discussions are already underway with the Federal Office of Communications, but the takeover does not have to be reported to the Competition Commission in accordance with the new Cartel Act, says Polo Stäheli.
(mk)