Italian media group Mediaset spearheads investment into regional media leader Karoui & Karoui, alongside with Delta partners

Nessma TV, Karoui & Karoui World's TV station has announced a partnership with La Quinta Communications, owned by media Franco-Tunisian tycoon Tarak Ben Ammar and Italy's leading media group, Mediaset, owned by Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Mediaset and La Quinta have become shareholders of Karoui & Karoui's TV business and will now own 25% each in the broadcast station - Nassma TV. Karoui and Karoui World retain 50% of the business.

"Nessma TV represents a unique platform that breaks down the national boundaries of the countries of the Maghreb and offers advertisers a medium to reach viewers with a style that is a fresh breath of air into the traditional national TV platforms which have dominated TV advertising in the region to date. The partnership with Mediaset and La Quinta will bring Nessma TV to a completely different level, being able to compete for market share across the Arab World and target Maghrebian customers in European markets," affirmed Victor Font, Managing Partner at Delta Partners.

"Mediaset's transaction is the first major transaction into our company since Delta Partners came on board as an investor. The investment cements Karoui & Karoui's position as the only pan-Maghrebian TV channel and a leading satellite TV broadcaster targeting the Maghrebian and Arab population," said Nebil Karoui, CEO of Karoui & Karoui World.

Through Mediaset and their extensive footprint in Europe, Karoui & Karoui will gain preferential and priority access to the significant programs and TV format catalogues owned by Mediaset and its subsidiary Dutch-based Endemol Entertainment.

Karoui & Karoui will also benefit from the managerial and professional resources of Mediaset.

Delta Partners invested in Karoui & Karoui 9 months ago, and since then has worked closely with the management team to define a long-term business plan and strategy for each of the company's business units including a solid corporate governance model.