Financier Bollore in group eyeing AP France-source
By Cyril Altmeyer
PARIS, Dec 11 (Reuters) - French financier Vincent Bollore is part of a group of investors which has tabled an offer to buy AP France, the Paris-based French language service of U.S. news organisation Associated Press, a source close to the matter said on Tuesday.
"A group of investors, including Bollore for a minority stake, could buy AP France," the source told Reuters. Both the Bollore (BOLL.PA) group and AP France declined to comment.
AP France has called a meeting of its workers' representatives at 1100 GMT on Dec. 14 to unveil a reorganisation plan, which includes plans to sell the French service, the source said.
AP France employs 28 full-time journalists.
According to French weekly Le Canard Enchaine, AP France made a loss of 1.4 million euros on revenue of 6 million euros in 2006. These figures could not be immediately confirmed.
Bollore's media interests range from majority stakes in French advertising group Havas HAV.PA and its British rival Aegis AGS.L, to digital terrestrial television Direct8 and free daily newspapers DirectSoir and MatinPlus.
AP France competes in the French language news agency business with state-controlled Agence France Presse and Reuters' RTR.L French language service. (Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer; Writing by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by David Holmes)
