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SBS Broadcasting Group

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This article is about the defunct broadcasting company. For the current status of its assets in Nordic region, see Discovery Communications Nordic. For its former branch in the Netherlands, see Talpa TV. For other uses, see SBS.

SBS Broadcasting Group
Company typePrivate
Founded1989; 35 years ago (1989)
Defunct2007 (2007)
FateAcquired by ProSiebenSat.1 Media
Successor
HeadquartersLuxembourg
Area served
Europe
Key people
Harry Sloan
Websitewww.sbsbroadcasting.com (offline)

SBS Broadcasting Group (SBS), formerly Scandinavian Broadcasting Systems, was a European multinational media group, operating commercial television, premium pay channels, radio stations and related print businesses in Northern, Western and Central and Eastern Europe. It became the second-largest broadcaster in Europe.[1]

History

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SBS was founded by Harry E. Sloan in 1989,[2][3] who bought a stake in the Danish station Kanal 2 (a local station in Copenhagen, now Kanal 4) and Norwegian TVNorge. In 1991, Sloan bought the Swedish Nordic Channel, which was soon renamed Kanal 5 and became the third-largest commercial broadcaster in the country. The company was originally known as "TV1", but was renamed "Scandinavian Broadcasting Systems" in 1991. After expanding into Benelux and Eastern Europe, the name was changed again, this time to SBS. By July 1994, the time of the CC/ABC-Disney merger, Capital Cities/ABC owned 23% of SBS.[4]

In March 2005, SBS acquired C More Entertainment, a Nordic pay tv provider operating under the Canal+ brand. In that year, SBS was bought by the equity firms Permira and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR).[5] Telegraaf Media Groep of the Netherlands was also a shareholder in SBS, with a 20% equity interest.[6] Permira and KKR also bought the German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Media in early 2007, and on 27 June 2007 it was announced that ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired the SBS Broadcasting group for 3.3 billion euros from the joint owners. ProSiebenSat.1 Media became the second-largest broadcaster of Europe with 48 TV stations.

Starting in 2011, ProSiebenSat.1 Media started to sell its non-German properties. The Dutch operations have been bought by Sanoma and Talpa Media Holding on 20 April 2011.[7] In the end of 2011 ProSiebenSat.1 Group has sold its Bulgarian radio stations as well as the music channel the Voice TV to A.E. Best Success Services Bulgaria EOOD. The transaction was closed on 10 November 2011. On 14 December 2012, Discovery Communications bought the Nordic portion of SBS for $1.7 billion.[8] The radio stations were later sold to Bauer Media Group. The Romanian TV and radio operations were bought by Romanian businessman Cristian Burci and Antenna Group in 2013.[9]

Former operations

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This section lists former channels and publications until the company's acquisition in 2007.

Television

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Belgium

Bulgaria

Denmark

Finland

Italy

  • Retemia (defunct, joint ownership with Internova, Profit, and Videopiù, 1997–1999)

Hungary

Macedonia

Netherlands

Norway

Romania

Portugal

  • TVI (1996–1999)

Sweden

Swedish headquarters of Kanal 5 and Kanal 9

Switzerland

  • TV3 (defunct, joint ownership with Tamedia, 1999–2001)

Radio stations

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Denmark

Greece

  • Lampsi 92.3 FM (now owned by Attica Editions)

Norway

Romania

  • Kiss FM (previously known as Radio Contact, available in Moldova with local insertions)
  • Magic FM
  • One FM
  • Rock FM

Sweden

Print

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References

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  1. ^ McNary, Dave. "Jeff Sagansky, Harry Sloan Partner on $700 Million IPO". Variety. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  2. ^ Hopkins, Nic. "Media tycoon gets 178m from sale of SBS Broadcasting". The Times. Times Newspapers. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  3. ^ "European broadcaster sold". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  4. ^ "FACT SHEET: THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY". Press Release. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  5. ^ "SBS Broadcasting to be Acquired By Permira and KKR in Transaction Valuing the Company at Approximately euro 2.1 Billion ($2.5 Billion)". PR Newswire. 22 August 2005. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  6. ^ "SBS Broadcasting Acquires Leading Music TV Channel in Romania". PR Newswire. 4 September 2006. Archived from the original on 6 November 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2019 – via TheFreeDictionary.com.
  7. ^ http://www.fd.nl/artikel/21975607/behouden-huis (subscription required)
  8. ^ Szalai, Georg (9 April 2013). "Discovery Communications Completes $1.7 Billion SBS Nordic Acquisition". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  9. ^ "ProSiebenSat.1 sells Romanian radios, TV stations to Greek Antenna Group and local media owner". Romania Insider. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
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