MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's top commercial broadcaster Mediaset (MI:MS) has raised its stake in ProSiebenSat.1 (DE:PSMGn) to just under 20 percent in a move that could help its plans to create a pan-European TV platform to tackle slow growth and stiffer competition.
In a statement on Monday, Mediaset's Spanish unit Mediaset Espana (MC:TL5) said it had secured a further 4.25% stake in ProSiebenSat.1 for around 61 million euros (57.06 million pounds), raising its share in the German company to 9.75%.
This adds to the 9.6% already owned by Milan-based Mediaset, which is controlled by the family of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The overall stake corresponds to voting rights for 20.1 percent, Mediaset said in a separate statement.