Lagardere made bid for French TV ad unit

PARIS (Reuters) - French media group Lagardere (LAGA.PA) said on Monday it made an offer to buy the bulk of the capital of France Televisions Publicite, the advertising unit of state-owned broadcast group France Television.

France Televisions Publicite is looking for a partner following the state's moves to ban advertising on state-owned channels. It should be completely phased out at end 2011.

"Today, Lagardere Active submitted a firm offer to buy 70 percent of the capital of France Televisions Publicite," a spokeswoman for Lagardere Active told Reuters.

She did not provide further details.

Lagardere Active is the press and broadcast division of the Lagardere group. France Televisions banks on advertising revenues of 365 million euros in 2009.

NextRadioTV (NXTV.PA), the group of Alain Weill, owner of the RMC and BFM radios and BFM TV television, said it made an

offer for France Televisions Publicite on October 9

Digital media group Hi-Media (HIMD.PA), together with a consortium featuring Philippe Leoni, co-founder of Spir Communication (SPIS.PA), and newspaper group Sud Ouest, also expressed interest for the unit on Oct 28.

According to media reports, French investor Stephane Courbit together with advertising group Publicis (PUBP.PA) could also be in the running. They could not be immediately reached for comment.

According to sources close to matter, candidates were due to submit "improved" offers on Monday ahead of a selection in early 2010.

(Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer, Dominique Vidalon, editing by Marcel Michelson)