ITALY / €4 million profit for Mediaset in 2015

On March 22^nd the Italian group Mediaset published its 2015 results, revealing a net profit of €4 million, down 83% compared to 2014 (€23.7 million).

Silvio Berlusconi’s company has justified this fall in profits by claiming it had to prepare for “future amendments to income tax”.

Excluding these provisions, net profit was €28.9 million.

The group’s turnover has increased 3% on last year, rising to €3.525 billion, thanks to “improved audience figures compared to 2014” on its Italian channels.

In its statement, the company also emphasizes the health of its subsidiary Mediaset España, whose operating income reached €205 million (+ 41% on last year).

Mediaset also made the news on rumours that Mediaset Premium, its pay television service, is being sold to the French group Vivendi. Silvio Berlusconi dismissed this by stating on Italian radio that Vivendi had expressed interest “in cooperating with Mediaset on content, but not with the group itself.”

Sources: AFP, Satellifax, Reuters