Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on November 26, 2025
By Elvira Pollina
MILAN (Reuters) -MFE–MediaForEurope, the TV group controlled by Italy's Berlusconi family, said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy 32.9% of Portuguese media company Impresa from the Balsemao family for 17.3 million euros ($20 million).
The move is part of MFE's strategy to expand its operations in Europe in an effort to build an advertising-funded TV group to fend off stiff competition from streaming giant like Netflix and YouTube.
MFE, which runs TV operations in Italy and Spain, in September took control of ProSiebenSat.1 after a bid valuing the German rival at 1.8 billion euros ($2.1 billion).
Listed in Lisbon, Impresa owns broadcaster SIC and weekly newspaper Expresso.
"This deal expands MFE's editorial and commercial reach across the entire Iberian Peninsula," MFE CEO Pier Silvio Berlusconi said, adding leading advertisers viewed Spain and Portugal as a single market.
"We will immediately start operational collaborations on advertising sales and the digital platform," he said.
Impreger, the holding company led by the Balsemao family, will continue to control Impresa with a 33.74% stake, MFE said.
In the first half, Impresa's net loss widened to 5.1 million euros, from 4 million euros in the same period of 2024.
Revenue slipped by 0.8% to 85.9 million euros, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation fell 35.5% to 2.9 million euros.
As of June, net debt stood at 148.2 million euros, an increase of 3.8% compared with the previous year.
Bank of America advised MFE on the deal, while Mediobanca worked with Impresa.
($1 = 0.8628 euros)
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina; Editing by Valentina Za)
