NetHold is a
Pay TV
Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichannel television providers, b ...
company based in the
Netherlands
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
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. 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
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
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
Mediaset Italia S.p.A., also known as Mediaset, is an Italian-based mass media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country. The company is controlled by the holding company MFE - MediaForEurope. Founded in 1987 by former ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
.
The company was on the verge of signing a deal with
DirecTV
DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is an American multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary service is a digital satellite service serving the United States. It ...
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
* Koos Bekker (former NetHold CEO, former General director of
Naspers)
* Johann Rupert (Richemont chairman and NetHold CEO)
References
{{reflist
Mass media companies of the Netherlands
Mass media companies established in 1997