DMG Radio wins race for top national Hungarian broadcaster

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Tuesday 4 November 1997

A consortium headed by DMG Radio, the radio division of DMGT, has won the radio privatisation race to operate Hungary's top-rated adult oriented FM station, Danubius. The station is the local equivalent to Radio 1.

This is the second major deal for DMG Radio in the past four weeks, with the company recently buying 25 regional radio stations in Australia - making it the owner of more stations in Australia than any other operator.

DMG Radio is the largest shareholder in the Hungarian deal, with fellow partners including Radiotrust, the Wallis Group, and Hungary's largest bank, OTP. The deal for DMG Radio values Danubius at more than £10m.

Daily Mail and General Trust has been a successful newspaper operator in Hungary for the past seven years since it bought one of the biggest regional papers, Kisalfold. The group recently acquired the Budapest Sun.

Other consortia competing for the licence included the American-based companies Clear Channel and Emmis.

Says Charlie Cox, managing director of DMG Radio: "The radio sales market in Hungary has been enjoying a boom in recent years, and we expect to be able to offer practical help and support to grow the advertising market. This is an important deal for us, and signals that DMG plans to grow its presence and influence in global broadcasting.

In the UK DMG Radio has holdings in GWR, the Essex Group, London News Radio and several new bids for licences. DMG also owns a radio station in Sweden - Klassika FM in Stockholm.

Inquiries: For further information, contact David Longman, senior consultant, Hammond Communications Limited on office: 0171 935 5404 or mobile: 0402 108553. Contact Charlie Cox on: 0171 938 6790.