CMI France (Marianne, Sheetc.), the magazine press group of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky (indirect shareholder of World), announced Monday, June 12 the acquisition of 45% of the capital of video media Loopsider. This is a new investment for the businessman who multiplies the stakes in the media in France.
“With Loopsider, CMI France is taking a stake in a profitable, growing company, based on a proven mixed model between editorial content and sponsored content”exposes the group in a press release. “Seven million people daily view videos on the platform [de Loopsider]which accumulates nearly 150 million views per month »he says.
The founders of Loopsider (Giuseppe de Martino, Arnaud Maillard and Johan Hufnagel) remain the first shareholders and “the management remains unchanged”.
“After Usbek & Rica, forward-looking media, Louie Media, leader in the production of high-end podcasts, CMI France is continuing its development with the production of video content”, said Valérie Salomon, president of CMI France, quoted in the press release. The operation “will allow the two groups to benefit from numerous complementarities”is it explained, Loopsider wishing “further accelerate its growth” and CMI France wanting “develop in video production”.
Exclusive candidate for the takeover of Editis
Loopsider, founded in 2018, will also bring “its expertise in artificial intelligence to the brands of CMI France”which, among other things, will allow the group’s media to“increase their impact” on social networks.
Since 2018, Daniel Kretinsky, already at the head of a small media empire in his country and a powerful energy group, has bought the magazines of the Lagardère Active group (including the emblematic She And TV 7 Days), the weekly Marianne49% of the shares of Matthieu Pigasse in The world and more than 5% of the TF1 group.
In September, the businessman flew to the rescue of the daily Releasebailing it out with 15 million euros until its return to equilibrium expected in 2026, without becoming a shareholder.
Also a shareholder of Fnac Darty, Daniel Kretinsky made a commitment at the end of April to the media giant Vivendi to acquire its subsidiary Editis, number two in publishing in France. CMI France is the second magazine publisher in France in terms of circulation.