The Bertelsmann media group, under the leadership of CEO Thomas Rabe, can't do much with the printed press or magazines.

You can see that in the merger of Gruner + Jahr with RTL Germany, which amounts to breaking up the traditional publisher.

One title after the other is being traded as a sell candidate.

If the rumors are true, there will be hardly anything left of Gruner + Jahr.

In France, Bertelsmann has already parted with its magazines and left a mess behind.

The German seller, who left well-positioned media behind, is only partially responsible for this.

The magazines published in the (former) French Bertelsmann subsidiary Prisma Media (“Capital”, “Geo”, “Voici”, various TV guides) were awarded to the highest bidder in 2021:

Juerg Altwegg

Freelance writer in the feuilleton.

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The ruler of the Vivendi empire - including the pay-TV channel Canal + - is notorious for his brutal management methods and for his interference in editorial matters.

He gave right-wing extremist Éric Zemmour a platform for his candidacy in the presidential election.

Bolloré tilts texts and heaves articles into his magazines over the heads of the editors-in-chief.

The radical break with Bertelsmann's tradition of not doing this has consequences: 183 of 395 journalists at Prisma Verlag have resigned and benefited from the generous exit clauses after the change of ownership.

M6 is for sale

Not entirely unexpectedly, the planned merger of the Bertelsmann broadcasting group M6 (to which RTL Radio belongs) with TF1, Europe's largest TV provider, failed last year after months of negotiations.

It was intended to create a group that would be able to survive in global competition.

This corresponds to the strategy of Bertelsmann boss Rabe, who wants to be number one in the respective media markets.

The project made sense in terms of media policy, but it was questionable in terms of antitrust law.

It ended in a fiasco in September of last year, when the cartel authorities had expressed their massive concerns.

Bertelsmann and the TF1 majority owner, the Bouygues construction group, withdrew the plan.

Now it's about farewell to Bertelsmann from Paris: M6 is for sale.

Discussions about the fate of M6 had to be restarted from scratch.

Xavier Niel, co-owner of "Le Monde", was traded as an interested party.

The successful telecom entrepreneur ("Free") has bought an impressive media company.

However, other hot rumors are now being served up from the kitchens of the French media: According to the current state of affairs, the Czech billionaire Daniel Krětínský seems to have been awarded the M6.

But only those responsible at Bertelsmann, who don't want to burn their fingers again, know the details.

“The Germans will try to get better guarantees than the first time before they announce the wedding too early with a lot of pomp,” “Le Monde” quotes one of those involved: “They can make a second disorderly retreat (‘déroute’). can't afford it."

TF1 is shaking

Meanwhile, TF1 and M6 are in the process of submitting their candidacy for the renewal of their broadcasting license.

They have to submit their dossiers on Monday.

The whole procedure is primarily a bureaucratic formality.

The state media regulator Arcom will unhesitatingly grant the concession to TF1, which set records for the World Cup in Qatar in terms of reach and revenue.

And no doubt M6 too.

Those responsible for selling M6 are still a bit nervous.

In any case, they have been trying to point out in recent weeks that they want to work more closely with French producers.

It is rumored that Xavier Niel also wants to apply for the slot for M6 on terrestrial television and has requested the necessary application documents.

whether that is true

again, only Niel and Arcom know at the moment.

They are silent.

TF1 is shaking.

Because after the prevented marriage with the Bertelsmann subsidiary M6, you want to prevent another company from getting the attractive bride.

And certainly not Xavier Niel.

He is a rival of TF1's main shareholder, Martin Bouygues.

The media moguls have been fighting each other for years.

Niel and builder Bouygues operate respectively the numbers three and four of the French telecom companies.

According to experts, one of them will not survive.