BSkyB in talks to buy German and Italian peers

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB is in early-stage talks to buy Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia, it announced this morning.

The firm, which is 39 per cent owned by Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox, is seeking to buy the media tycoon’s interests in its German and Italian peers to a create a “world-class multinational pay TV group”.

A spokesman said: “These discussions have not progressed beyond a preliminary stage, no agreement has been reached on terms, value or transaction structure and there is no certainty that a transaction will occur.”

21st Century Fox said: “Over the years we’ve had numerous internal discussions regarding the organisational and ownership structure of the European Sky-branded satellite platforms.

“From time to time these conversations have included BSkyB, however no agreement between the parties has ever been reached.”