Brasilianas alerts us to rumored structural readjustments of the Brazilian media sector.
Universo Online, UOL, recently went private as part of a strategy dictated by shareholder Banco Pactual.
Market rumors are that the next step will be to go public again, this time in New York.
A second maneuver — and this remains in the realm of speculation, mind you — might be to acquire the daily Estado de S. Paulo, which has been on offer for some time now.
This would represent a step in the direction of concentration of ownership, I believe. Folha and Globo already partner to produce Wall Street Journal content partner Valor Econômico. In 2009-2010, national circulation leaders were
| 01 | Super Notícia | MG |
295.701
|
2,2%
|
| 02 | Folha de S.Paulo | SP |
294.498
|
-0,3%
|
| 03 | O Globo | RJ |
262.435
|
2%
|
| 04 | Extra | RJ |
238.236
|
-2,3%
|
| 05 | O Estado de S.Paulo | SP |
236.369
|
11%
|
| 06 | Zero Hora | RS |
184.663
|
0,6%
|
| 07 | Meia Hora | RJ |
157.654
|
-15,1%
|
| 08 | Correio do Povo | RS |
157.409
|
1,5%
|
| 09 | Diário Gaúcho | RS |
150.744
|
2,6%
|
A strong showing in circulation growth might make this supposed sale a matter of wishful thinking by a competitor — Brasilianas cites a UOL-Folha affiliated journalism site for the news.
SuperNotíicia is the snazzier d.b.a. of the traditional daily, O Tempo.
The iG portal, much less hostile to the PT government than others, if not outright partisan does seem to have friends in high places looking to it as a stop-gap measure in favor of diversification — much as the Record network serves with respect to the Globo infotainment zaibatsu.
The southern Brazilian media group RBS — a Globo affiliate — originally denied rumors that it was interesting in acquiring iG together with the cellular provider Oi, which acquired Brasil Telecom in 2009. October 2011:
According to stories in the media, an auction is underway to sell the portal to Editora Abril, Yahoo or the RBS group. The final decision is up to the board of Oi, which will render its verdict this week after the vacations are over.
November 27 of the same year
SÃO PAULO (Reuters) – Brasil Telecom has acquired 63% of iG for $104.892 million..
Taking into account the 10% of iG already owned by Brasil Telecom Participações já possuía no iG, the telecoms company now owns 73%, valued at $144.9 million.
The three portals — G1, R7 and iG — are closely alike in design and function and share many of the same advertisers. Very likely they worked with the same media consultant. Let me get back to you on that.
iG has also closed a content sharing deal with the Indian portal Zoom.in, featuring content from Carta Capital, Último Instante and the Dutch video producer Kapamakki Digital.
Two other developments are due to break shortly. Rede TV, whose audience share has fallen from 5 to 2 in two years, is confronted with growing difficulties. Its owners have had a falling out even as they maintain their ostentatious lifestyles. Worried friends of the company have said they have a buyer ready to ride to the rescue.
And finally, there are attempts afoot, by groups linked to the ruling Workers Party, to acquire the iG internet portal.
Here I should add some fresh data about the portal wars among UOL, Terra, iG and G1.Globo, inter alia. US Media Consulting googles up with some solid basics.
I might also add a pie within a pie chart showing shareholders in each of the three, together with the board-level equity position of each of these. Interlocks, anybody?
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