MIDDELHOFF STEPS DOWN
FROM VU BOARD

German media giant Bertelsmann AG said on Tuesday (3/13) that, as was generally expected, CEO Thomas Middelhoff was standing down from Vivendi Universal's board to avoid possible future conflict of interest. Bertelsmann and the recently merged Vivendi Universal are Europe's two largest media groups.

Middelhoff joined the board in May 1999 as an independent director.

A Bertelsmann spokesman—or would it be spokesmann?—said Middelhoff's departure from the VU board did not reflect souring relations between the two companies.

"Middelhoff and (VU CEO) Jean-Marie Messier both decided that because of possible conflict of interest that Middelhoff would leave the board," the spokesman said. "But there is still tight cooperation between the two companies."

I think we all know what "tight cooperation" between the Germans and the French means.

Bertelsmann and Vivendi Universal are currently discussing possible cooperation on European sports rights, and industry sources said the two companies were in talks regarding a number of deals in television, publishing and music.