NBC - GE AND VIVENDI CONTINUE TALKS ON NBC UNIVERSAL

GE AND VIVENDI CONTINUE TALKS ON NBC UNIVERSAL

General Electric and France's Vivendi are reportedly $500 million apart in their negotiations over Vivendi's 20-percent stake in NBC Universal, the Wall Street Journal reported today (Monday). GE reportedly wants to buy the stake, giving it total ownership of the media company, then set up a new company with Cox in which Cox would own 51 percent and GE 49 percent. The WSJ cited one source as saying that Vivendi's asking price is regarded as "higher than anticipated" but "hardy a deal killer." It said that the weakened dollar against the euro is the primary reason for the price gap.

19/10/2009