Rivals eye UK television takeover

[dArKeR]

CAMBRIDGE (Reuters) - Entertainment rivals Viacom and Haim Saban have stepped up the battle for Britain's leading commercial television network when both declared an interest in throwing their hats into the ring.

Mel Karmazin, president of media giant Viacom, said he may be interested in bidding for the controlling companies of Britain's ITV network -- Granada Plc and Carlton Communications Plc -- if regulators approve their merger in early October.

Fresh from taking over German broadcaster ProSiebenSat1, Egyptian-born Saban told a media conference he was also sizing up the ITV broadcasters and had the financial backing to launch a bid if a merger goes ahead without big changes.

"The next country we're going to be looking at, starting October 8, is the UK," Saban told a Royal Television Society conference in British university town Cambridge.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/24by7panews/page.cfm?objectid=13428050&method=full&siteid=50143

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. No so bad knowing that Mr. Saban is a BIG TIME...

DEMOCRAT!!! At least it will be one more network not in the hands of the Reichists!!!