RTL Group is set to take a 49% stake in Serbia’s TV Avala, after getting the go-ahead from the country’s broadcasting regulator.
“We have made a conditional decision and RTL will have to provide us with additional information in order to take over 49% of Avala”, said Slobodan Djoric, a member of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA). One of the conditions will be that RTL will not be able to change the name of TV Avala, so a compromise solution will be found in the name TV RTL-Avala.
According to unconfirmed reports, the €45 million agreement for the takeover of the minority share package will be signed on November 20.
RTL failed to enter the Serbian market in the bidding for the so-called national frequencies several years ago.
The largest stakeholder in the Belgrade-based TV station is tycoon Danko Djunic with 45.65%, while Zeljko Mitrovic, the owner of another national broadcaster, TV Pink, has a 5.95% share.