German Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, has voiced serious concerns regarding the potential impact of a takeover of ProSiebenSat.1 by the Italian media company MFE-MediaForEurope. Weimer's apprehension centers on the possible erosion of journalistic independence within the German media landscape. “A takeover battle has begun, the outcome of which concerns me,” Weimer stated in an interview with Der Spiegel. “My concern revolves around the question of whether journalistic and economic independence will be preserved after a change in ownership.”
MFE, in which Pier Silvio Berlusconi holds a substantial stake, already owns approximately 30% of ProSiebenSat.1 and is locked in a competitive bidding process with the Czech investment group PPF. Both companies have submitted offers to ProSiebenSat.1 shareholders, with the bidding period extending until August 13, 2025. In response to these developments, Weimer has invited Mr. Berlusconi to a meeting at the Chancellery in September.
“I expect transparency in this process, and we are carrying out an open impact assessment,” Weimer emphasized. “We need to know what kind of political influence new foreign owners might exert. How will journalistic quality and independence be safeguarded? What does this mean for Germany as a television location? These questions are of great relevance to the preservation of media freedom in Germany. That is why I am taking care of this.”
Weimer's concerns extend to the potential influence stemming from family connections. Silvio Berlusconi, Pier Silvio's father and former Italian Prime Minister, had reportedly close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “If a foreign investor were to take over and potentially control such an important institution of opinion-forming in Germany,” Weimer explained, “then we should take a very close look at who is behind it and what connections may have influence. That will be the subject of my conversation with Mr. Berlusconi.”