EBRD To Invest in WAZ Group’s Ost Holding

Independent media in Eastern Europe is taking a step forward as the EBRD announced it is investing in the eastern European operations of the WAZ Media Group. EBRD’s equity investment for a stake in the WAZ operations could be as much as €40 million. The WAZ Group’s work in developing high quality, professional, and politically and economically independent media in Eastern Europe fits into the ERBD’s mandate to encourage sustainable economical development in the region.

The investment will be made in two stages; the first is an immediate €20 million for a stake in Vienna-based Ost Holding, and the second in the form of €20 million reserved for future capital increases.

WAZ Media Group Eastern Europe (www.waz-mediengruppe.de)
Based in Essen, Germany, the WAZ Media Group publishes 38 daily newspapers, 108 general magazines, 133 freesheets, various trade papers, and roughly 250 customer magazines.

Its Eastern Europe operations include a daily newspaper, weekly political paper, and a female-targeted paper in Bulgaria; and various papers and magazines in Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Russia, and Serbia.