The deal that would see Axel Springer acquire 25.1% in the Polish national commercial broadcaster Polsat has taken on a new twist. According to Polish sources, Polsat’s owner Zygmunt Solorz-Zak is now seeking a stake in Axel Springer’s Polish print interests, and even the German company itself, as part of the agreement. The €250 million plus €50 million fee that was initially agreed in late 2006 for a stake in Polsat is now generally acknowledged to be on the low side, especially given the broadcaster’s good performance this year. The deal itself was put on hold earlier this year following a ruling from the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK). The sources add that Polsat’s IPO is now unlikely to go ahead before 2009. That of its DTH platform Cyfrowy Polsat, however, should still take place early next year.
