CANAL SATELITE AND VIA DIGITAL TO MERGE

Spain's two digital television platforms, Canal Satelite and Via Digital, have announced an agreement in principle to merge before October. The two companies have begun legal, financial and commercial preparations and hope to push through the merger before September 30, according to a joint statement issued on July 21. The different decoders already purchased by subscribers to the two satellite television services will remain valid after the merger. The alliance will be 50-50 partnership with no right of veto, and the new entity will have a revolving presidency and Board. 85% of Canal Satelite, launched in January 1997, is controlled by the Sogecable group whose principal shareholders are the left-wing press group Prisa (25%) (publisher of the El Pais daily), Canal...