John de Mol selling off Talpa media

Media tycoon John de Mol is selling off his media company Talpa. Potential buyers are already announcing themselves at Bank of America Merill Lynch, the Financieele Dagblad reports. De Mol, known internationally as the man behind hit reality series such as Big Brother, Fear Factor and The Voice, is now hoping to sell his media company Talpa. The company could sell for between €600 and €700 million, sources tell the Financieele Dagblad. Although an eventual takeover could take months, there are already interested parties such as FremantleMedia and 21st Century Fox. According to the Financieele Dagblad, the estimated value of Talpa is lower than De Mol would have wished, at more than a €1 billion, but the company is not in a hurry to sell, and De Mol hopes to increase its value. Talpa also owns one-third of SBS Nederland, which is in the interest of American Discovery. That conglomerate would have €800 million for SBS.