Media: Vivendi, Mediaset and Fininvest finalise agreement to "put an end to their disputes"

The French media and entertainment group Vivendi (parent company of the free and pay-TV group Canal+), the Italian audiovisual group Mediaset and the holding company Fininvest (controlled by the family of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and holding 44% of Mediaset's shares) "announce that, following their communications to the market on 03/05/2021, today the closing took place regarding the global agreement that they reached to put an end to their disputes, mutually waiving all pending lawsuits and complaints," said the three groups on 22/07/2021.

The Berlusconi family's group and that of Vincent Bolloré had agreed in 2016 to launch a content platform likely to compete with Netflix, with the purchase by the French group of 100% of the Mediaset Premium pay-TV bouquet. However, Vivendi denounced this agreement, believing that it had been misled about the true value of Mediaset Premium, and then embarked on the acquisition of 28.8% of Mediaset, which was deemed "hostile" by the Berlusconi family.

"Vivendi will support Mediaset's international development by voting in…