Pier Silvio Berlusconi, CEO of MFE-MediaForEurope, has reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding editorial independence at ProSiebenSat.1 as the Italian media group prepares to take majority control of the German broadcaster.
The son of the late Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi (pictured right) met Germany’s Culture and Media Minister Wolfram Weimer (pictured left) at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin on 2 September 2025. The meeting underscored the political sensitivity of the transaction: ProSiebenSat.1 is one of Germany’s two major commercial broadcasting groups, and its editorial integrity has been a recurring concern in the wake of MFE’s push for dominance.
Berlusconi sought to reassure Berlin on several fronts. He promised that editorial independence would be protected, jobs preserved and taxes paid in Germany rather than shifted abroad. “We want to produce and offer more local content tailored to the German audience – with more news, more entertainment programmes and more television series – and over time fewer acquired formats, just as we already do in Italy and Spain,” he said. Munich, he added, would continue to serve as an “important hub for content, innovation and employment.”
The German government has little legal leverage to dictate terms of the takeover. But the talks illustrated that Berlin is determined to keep a close watch on how MFE handles its new role as majority shareholder. Weimer welcomed Berlusconi’s assurances but made clear that independence of the newsroom is non-negotiable. “Editorial independence is of central importance – it must not be touched. We are of one mind on this point, and that is a good prerequisite for a successful engagement in the German media market,” he stressed.
For MFE, ProSiebenSat.1 represents more than just a national broadcaster. Berlusconi framed the deal as part of a wider industrial strategy to build a pan-European media player able to withstand the dominance of global technology and streaming giants such as Google, Netflix and Amazon. “Our goal is to create a pan-European broadcasting and media group able to stand up to the global technology giants and compete with them,” he said, noting that the task would be approached with “realism and prudence”.
Weimer welcomed the assurances, adding: “Anyone who operates and produces in Germany bears responsibility – for jobs, for paying taxes and for our creative infrastructure. That MFE assumes this responsibility in Germany, as in Italy and Spain, is pleasing. If a large pan-European platform now emerges from Munich, that is good news.”
Weimer and Berlusconi agreed to maintain a regular dialogue on issues such as European media regulation and film funding. The continued talks signal that the German government intends to monitor developments closely, despite having limited influence over the deal.
The meeting has, for now, eased tensions between Berlin and Milan. But Berlusconi will ultimately be judged on whether his words translate into action. The strength of his commitment will become clear in the operational business of ProSiebenSat.1 – in the newsroom, on the production floor, and in the broadcaster’s ability to regain momentum in a fiercely competitive media landscape.
