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Mediawan Chief Asserts French Control, Denies KKR Majority at Parliamentary Inquiry

The commission postponed co-founders' testimony to late March after Xavier Niel withdrew.

Overview

  • Under oath, Pierre-Antoine Capton said Mediawan is legally, fiscally and operationally French and insisted KKR is not the majority shareholder.
  • Capton refused to disclose the capital breakdown, citing business secrecy following the group's delisting.
  • Deputies led by rapporteur Charles Alloncle pressed claims of U.S. control and questioned public funds benefiting foreign interests.
  • Capton said France Télévisions accounts for under 5% of global activity and about 25% in France, roughly €100 million annually, asserting the group's growth does not rely on public broadcasting contracts.
  • Lawmakers continued probing ownership transparency and potential conflicts linked to shareholders, with Capton saying Matthieu Pigasse's political positions are personal and do not bind Mediawan.