Naspers () is a South Africa-based multinational media company with principal operations in electronic media (including pay-television, internet and instant-messaging subscriber platforms and the provision of related technologies) and print media (including the publishing, distribution and printing of magazines, newspapers and books, and the provision of private education services).

History

In 1985, Nasionale Pers and a number of other South African media companies formed an electronic pay-television media business, M-Net, which was listed on the JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) in 1990. In 1993, M-Net was divided into two companies - M-Net itself became a pure pay-television station while the company's subscriber management, signal distribution and cellular telephone activities were formed into a new company called MultiChoice Limited (later renamed MIH Holdings Limited).

Nasionale Pers itself listed on JSE on 12 September 1994 and in 1998 the group's name changed to Naspers.

In 1997, MIH Ltd. created an internet service provider, M-Web Holdings, which also runs M-Web Blogspace, a popular South African blogging platform.

In September 1999, Naspers purchased a 49% share holding in EvaluNet and then in January 2000, merged its existing private education activities with that of another leading South African private education business to form Educor Holdings Limited - one of the leading private education providers in South Africa. During the same year, Naspers also re-organised and branded its print media business as its "Media24" division.

In May 2001, Naspers acquired a 46.5% interest in Tencent Holdings Limited, the operator of an instant messaging platform in China called QQ, which subsequently developed into the leading business of its kind in China. In a quest to further expand its business in China, the company acquired a 9.9% interest in the Beijing Media Corporation (“BMC”) in December 2004. BMC is a media company mainly engaged in the sale of advertising space for the Beijing Youth Daily as well as the production of newspapers and the trading of print-related materials.

In February 2005, Naspers acquired the South African internet interests of Tiscali. On 31 March of the same year, Naspers consolidated all its print media, book publishing and private education assets in its Media24 division in order to simplify the group's structure.

In May 2006, Naspers acquired, for US$ 422 million, a 30% interest in the Brazilian media group Editora Abril, publishers of dozens of titles, the most important of which being Revista Veja.

In January 2007, Naspers acquired a 30% interest in MXit Lifestyle, the operator of a mobile instant messaging platform in South-Africa called MXit.

Also in January 2007, Naspers acquired a 30% interest in Mail.ru, Russian operator of Mail.ru Agent, an instant messaging service for desktop PCs and mobiles. In November 2007 the company acquired a further 2.6% of Mail.ru .

In October 2007, Naspers acquired Gadu-Gadu, a listed Polish instant messaging business with c.8 million registered accounts (of a population of 38 million).

In March 2008, Naspers acquired Tradus (formerly QXL and listed on the London Stock Exchange), which provides an online auction platform and internet portals in Eastern Europe. The company owns Allegro.pl, which is the leading online auction site in Poland. At £946 million, this acquisition represents Naspers' largest acquisition to date.

In August 2008, Naspers acquired a 25% stake in BuzzCity through MIH, its investment arm. BuzzCity is a mobile media company providing access to a global advertising network on the mobile internet for brand owners and agencies. The network is made up of publishers worldwide and BuzzCity’s own mobile media properties, including the myGamma social networking platform which is aimed at regions with low fixed-line internet penetration.

In September 2008, Naspers acquired a 49% interest in Compera nTime, mobile value-added services company in Brazil. During 2010 Compera nTime acquired a competitor Yavox. The enlarged group has been renamed Movile. Having Brazil as its core market, Movile is also present in Mexico, and is expanding to other Latin-American countries..

In August 2009, it was announced that Naspers would increase its stake in BuzzCity by MIH purchasing US$1 million of shares from Exploit Technologies, the marketing and commercialisation arm of A*STAR.

In September 2009, Naspers acquired a 91% interest in BuscaPé, provider of comparison shopping systems for more than 100 portals and Web sites in Latin America, including Microsoft, Globo and Abril.

Business model

The strategy of Naspers is to create media content, build brand names around it, and manage the platforms distributing the content. Naspers then delivers its content in a variety of forms and through a variety of channels, including television, internet services, newspapers, magazines and books.

Naspers is divided into two core segments: electronic media and print media.

The electronic media arm of Naspers is MIH Holdings and controls Naspers' pay-television, internet and related technology activities. MIH Holdings either owns or operates pay-television and internet subscriber platforms in Africa, Greece, Cyprus, Thailand and China and contributed about 65% to Naspers’ total revenue and 80% to its operating profit in the 2007 fiscal year.

The print media arm of Naspers is Media24, which controls Naspers' newspaper and magazine publishing as well as printing activities but also includes the internet activities of Media24 Digital. Media24 is Africa's largest publisher, printer and distributor of magazines and related products as well as one of its largest newspaper publishers. The print media segment of Naspers contributed about 35% to Naspers’ total revenue and 20% of its operating profit in the 2007 fiscal year.

Publications and services

See also

References

External links

Category:Companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Category:Companies established in 1915 Category:Companies based in Cape Town Category:Media companies of South Africa