Mediaset Files Complaint Against Vivendi For 'Overly Optimistic' Forecasts

A source revealed that Italy's Mediaset has "asked the French stock market regulator to force Vivendi to amend some statements it has made about a pay-TV deal which the French firm pulled out of," according to Claudia Cristoferi of REUTERS. Broadcaster Mediaset, owned by former Italy PM Silvio Berlusconi, is suing Vivendi "for damages after it backed away from the deal." Vivendi said that the financial forecasts of the unit, provided by Mediaset, were "overly optimistic." Mediaset has, according to the source, sent a letter to French regulator AMF "asking it to force Vivendi to amend statements about the deal to buy its Premium unit," made by Vivendi in its first-half financial report. In the report, Vivendi, led by billionaire Vincent Bollore, said that the initial agreement with Mediaset was "subject to due diligence, a claim that Mediaset has said is incorrect." Vivendi "declined to comment." An AMF spokesperson confirmed it had "received a letter from Mediaset" (REUTERS, 9/8).