NetHold

NetHold is a Pay TV company based in the Netherlands. As of 1997, the company merged with CANAL+ and is directed by Johann Rupert, chairman of Richemont.

Foundation

In 1985, Koos Bekker led the founding committee behind M-Net, a Television platform operator in South Africa.

In 1990, M-net was introduced to Johannesburg Stock market. In 1991, the company changed its name to MIH Ltd and was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands.

In 1995, MIH and Richemont joined their assets to form NetHold. Koos Bekker was appointed NetHold’s first general director.

By march 1996, the company amassed $950 million revenue.

Partnerships

NetHold owns 45% of Telepiu and 6.5% of Mediaset in Italy.

The company was on the verge of signing a deal with DirecTV but the partnership was dismissed.

Merging with CANAL+

In 1997, NetHold merged with CANAL+ a French-based Pay TV operator. By that time, NetHold’s value reached $1.8 billion.

Richemont and MIH kept NetHold’s pay-television businesses in Africa, Greece, Cyprus and the Middle east then sold them to CANAL+ in exchange for 20% shares in all of its operations.

The union of NetHold and CANAL+ garnered 8.5 million subscribers. The group is present in France, Spain, Italy and Germany with a large audience in Scandinavian countries. The Board of directors of the merging venture includes representatives of CANAL+’s major shareholder Havas, Compagnie des eaux and NetHold’s shareholders Richemont and MIH.

Directors

References

  1. ↑ Hart, Jeffrey A. (5 February 2004). Technology, Television, and Competition: The Politics of Digital TV. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139442244.
  2. ↑ "KOOS BEKKER - South African Entrepreneurs Business Magazine". SA Entrepreneurs Magazine. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  3. 1 2 "MIH Limited - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on MIH Limited". www.referenceforbusiness.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  4. ↑ "MIH Limited -- Company History". www.company-histories.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  5. ↑ GILLIES, MIDGE (3 September 1996). "Netherlands' NetHold Emerging as Global Player in Pay TV". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "Three's company". Euromoney. March 1997. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  7. ↑ "Euro giants start digital dogfight". Marketing Week. 20 September 1996. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Compagnie Financière Richemont SA - Home". www.richemont.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  9. ↑ Williams, Michael (20 December 1996). "Canal Plus, NetHold link creates Euro pay TV giant". Variety. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  10. ↑ "Canal Plus Is in a Deal For Nethold (Published 1996)". Bloomberg News. 7 September 1996. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 August 2023 – via The New York Times.
  11. ↑ GILLIES, MIDGE (7 September 1996). "Canal Plus to Buy NetHold in Deal Worth $1.6 Billion". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  12. ↑ "Compagnie Financière Richemont SA - Nethold to merge with CANAL+ to create the leading European pay-TV and Digital Television group". www.richemont.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  13. ↑ "Outdated governance norms prevail at tech-savvy Naspers". Retrieved 9 August 2023 – via PressReader.
  14. ↑ "Johann Rupert | Who's Who SA". whoswho.co.za. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  15. ↑ Group, Euromedia Research (24 September 1998). Media Policy: Convergence, Concentration & Commerce. SAGE. ISBN 9781446265246. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)