Prosieben, Berlusconi meets Minister Weimer: 'Editorial independence protected'

From Berlin came the signal they were waiting for in Cologno Monzese: the German government, through the mouth of Culture and Media Minister Wolfram Weimer, welcomed Mfe's reassurances on the future of Prosiebensat. Pier Silvio Berlusconi, head of Mediaforeurope, appeared before the Federal Chancellery to reassure Germany on the future of the Bavarian broadcaster, which will soon come under the control of the Cologno Monzese holding company. In the meeting with the Minister for Culture and Media, Wolfram Weimer, the two issues that heated the debate the most were: editorial independence and the defence of jobs.

'Editorial independence is of paramount importance: it must not be threatened. We are aligned with Mfe on this point, which is a good basis for a successful engagement in the German media market,' the German minister stated on the point. But the position, to read the communiqué issued after the meeting, coincides with that expressed by the Mediaset group's top management, which 'decisively reaffirmed the confirmation of Germany as the location, as well as the maintenance of editorial independence'.

However, the number one of Mfe did not limit himself to reassurances. The aim is 'to produce and offer an even more national TV, tailor-made for the German public. With more information, more entertainment and more fiction, and, in the long run, less shopping products as we already do in Italy and Spain We want an offer tailor-made for the German public,' Pier Silvio Berlusconi said, relaunching the idea of a pan-European media pole capable of withstanding the clash with the American web giants. Munich will remain the beating heart of the operation: production centre, hub of innovation and hothouse of employment..

Messages that go in the same direction as the concepts Minister Weimer wanted to focus on: 'Whoever runs a broadcaster in Germany must take responsibility for jobs, taxes and creative infrastructure. We are pleased that Mfe is committed to doing this, as is already the case in Italy and Spain'.

Words, these, that sound like a political investiture, just on the eve of the official results of the takeover bid, expected on 4 September. With the exit of the Czechs from Ppf, Mfe is thus preparing to consolidate its grip on Prosiebensat and turn Bavaria into the laboratory of a new pan-European television.