Altice moves to acquire France's NextRadioTV, hires new government affairs chief

While it sits on its hands in the U.S. amid regulatory approval of its $17.7 billion bid to acquire Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), Altice NV continues to actively make expansion moves back home in Europe.

For one, Groupe News Participations. which is backed by Altice, is moving to acquire French media company NextRadioTV. Groupe News Participations already controls a majority stake of NextRadioTV.

According to Digital TV Europe, shareholders have until February 1 to accept or decline an offer of around $40 a share. NextRadioTV operates news channel BFM TV and entertainment service RMC Découverte, as well as related radio stations.

Altice, in turn, has an option to take over Groupe News Participations in 2019.

That news comes as Altice also moves, according to published reports, to hire former Vivendi SA executive Regis Turrini to manage its government and regulatory affairs. Turrini is also the former chief of France's investment arm. According to Bloomberg, Altice is looking to Turruni to help integrate and restructure its recent acquisitions in France, Portugal and the U.S.

Altice is also in the process of launching its SVOD service, Zive, to 13 million customers in Israel, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Portugal, French West Indies and the Dominican Republic.

Zive offers more than 5,000 HD titles, with plans to expand to 15,000 by the end of 2016. Zive also offers more than 400 4K/ultra HD programs spanning kids shows, movies and sports.

For more:
- read this Digital TV Europe story
- read this Bloomberg story
- read this IPTV story

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