Mondadori ‘not buying’ Emap

Aug 23 2007 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

ITALIAN publisher Mond-adori denies it wants to buy Emap’s consumer magazines arm.

The firm, controlled by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlus-coni, had reportedly asked for a sales memorandum on the UK’s second-biggest magazine publisher and its titles including FHM, Closer and Heat.

But yesterday a Mon-dadori spokesman said the company was not evaluating Emap’s assets “at the present time”.

Peterborough-based Emap, which owns Liverpool’s Radio City, said in July it was carry-ing out a review of its structure and portfolio of assets after receiving “various unsolicited proposals” for parts of the group. Its consumer magazine division has already attracted attention from France’s media and technology group Lagardere, which publishes Elle magazine. Its British operations are run by former Emap chief executive Kevin Hand.

Mondadori, chaired by Mr Berlusconi’s daughter Marina, has an establish-ed relationship with Emap which publishes Mondadori’s fashion title Grazia under licence.