Cheetah, the publishing company of La Repubblica and La Stampa controlled by Exor, has formalized the agreement with the group MSc for the sale of Il Secolo XIX. This newspaper, together with four related newspapers and their related digital and advertising activities, will come under the control of the tycoon's company Gianluigi Aponte. It is the first time that a shipowner enters the Italian publishing industry and buys a newspaper, after Achille Lauro (when in 1942 the shipowner obtained 50% of the "Roma" newspaper from the government).
The agreement was reached after months of rumors and requires the two parties to now enter into exclusive negotiations to conduct due diligence and prepare the final contractual documents. The real news concerns the buyer, Gianluigi Aponte's MSC, which continues to invest and diversify its presence in the Italian territory: after the acquisition of 50% of Italo and rail and road freight transport companies, as well as 49% of the shipping company Moby, while the proposal to enter Ita Airways with Lufthansa fell through, but perhaps only for the moment.
Transfer of the 19th century: Gedi focuses on La Repubblica and La Stampa
Maurice Scanavino, CEO of Gedi, commented that the objective of the operation is to guarantee a solid future for the historic Genoese newspaper, Il Secolo XIX, founded in 1886 and owned by the Perrones for over a century. This sale represents a significant step in the sales path undertaken by Gedi, which has already sold several local newspapers such as Il Tirreno, La Nuova Ferrara, La Gazzetta di Reggio, and many others, maintaining only the Provincia Pavese and the Sentinella del Canavese.
In line with the strategy of focusing on national newspapers such as La Repubblica e The print, Gedi (Exor) now aims to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the digital transition. This movement includes the development of new ventures, with a particular focus on the entertainment industry through its Radio Deejay, Capital e m2o.
