Düsseldorf, 25 July 2013. Linklaters has advised the Funke Media Group, which until the end of 2012 was known as WAZ Media Group, on its acquisition of a portfolio of regional newspapers, TV and women’s magazines from Axel Springer AG for a purchase price of EUR 920 million. In addition, the two groups have agreed on the setting up of joint enterprises for the marketing of advertising and print and online media. The transaction is subject to merger and antitrust clearance, which is not expected before the end of the year.

High turnover formats acquired in the deal by the Funke Media Group include the daily newspapers Berlin Morgenpost and Hamburger Abendblatt, advertising publications in both cities, the five TV magazines Hörzu, TV Digital, Funk Uhr, Bildwoche and TV Neu, the women’s magazines Bild der Frau and Frau von Heute and the respective digital brands. With this acquisition, Funke continues its strategic focus on a combination of regional print and online products with well-established magazines, and takes an important step towards becoming Germany’s leading media enterprise. The transaction will be effective from 1 January 2014.

Linklaters’ team was led by Achim Kirchfeld and Dr Nikolaos Paschos (both Corporate, Düsseldorf). Other team members included Dr Tim Johannsen-Roth (Corporate, Düsseldorf), Dr Sebastian Benz, Oliver Rosenberg (both Tax, Düsseldorf), Dr Carl-Peter Feick (Banking, Frankfurt), Professor Dr Georg Annuß, Thomas Bader (both Employment, Munich), Dr Christoph van Lier (Corporate, Düsseldorf), Dr Tim Mundhenke (Tax, Düsseldorf), Dr Angela Kerek (Banking, Frankfurt), Marco Huchzermeier, Dr Hubertus Witte, Dr Eva Kotthaus (all Corporate, Düsseldorf), Dr Julian Böhmer, Dr Albert Schmitz and Christian Wegener (all Tax, Düsseldorf).