01/04/2010

One of the most important media groups in Poland, Agora, has just signed a preliminary contract for buying out 84% of the shares of Centrum Filmowe "Helios", which controls 22% of the domestic multiplex market. The transaction is worth a total of €25m, a sum which could increase by around €1m after a financial audit of Helios has been carried out.

In 17 years of activity, CF "Helios" has developed, thanks in particular to its acquisitions (five-theatre Kinoplex chain in 2007), the largest film exhibition group in Poland in terms of the number of cities: 26 establishments including 24 multiplexes with a total of 140 screens and over 31,000 seats.

Especially present in towns with under 250,000 inhabitants, the network also operates in the country’s major cities, including Warsaw, Lodz, Gdansk and Wroclaw. The market share for the group, which includes the Helios and Kinoplex brands, amounts to 24% of admissions sold in Polish multiplexes in 2009.

Agora’s buyout plan is part of its strategy for diversifying and expanding its activity in the media sector. Agora, which owns the Gazeta Wyborcza (one of the biggest Polish daily newspapers), radio stations (TOK FM, Roxy FM, Zlote Przeboje), many specialist magazines and Internet portals, is also in charge of numerous audiovisual projects.

(Translated from French)