Laura Carollo
Research expert covering cinema and film
Vivendi - statistics & facts
Is there no end to Vivendi's ascent? The Paris-based group, one of the leading media companies in the world, has grown through successive acquisitions over the past years, most notably in the publishing world. By doing so, it has managed to reshape the face of the French media landscape. However, not everyone sees this development in a positive light, as its majority shareholder Vincent Bolloré, one of the country's richest men, remains a controversial figure.
The Vivendi group has cemented its place as France's media behemoth. Whether in television, music, publishing or video games, the group has succeeded in adapting through profitable restructuring. And this is far from over - the group hopes to obtain the green light to split into four independent entities, a decision which should be taken in December 2024.
A multifaceted company
Vivendi's core activities are centered around the pay TV group Canal+, the communications group Havas and, since 2023, the Lagardère Group. While Vivendi is present in many media, the acquisition of Lagardère - and its publishing subsidiary Hachette Livre - in 2023 marks its entry as one of the world’s publishing leaders. In 2021, the group announced the demerger of Universal Music Group before taking it public, in a move that would prove extremely lucrative for the ex-subsidiary.Financials
In 2023, the group generated a total revenue of 10.51 billion euros, its highest value yet. Most of the total revenue that year came from the operations of Havas and Canal+ Group, which both remained the group’s most lucrative activities. Canal+ Group, the leading pay TV provider in France, took the highest share in Vivendi's revenues at about six billion euros. As of December 31, 2023, the number of Vivendi SA employees around the globe amounted to 39.2 thousand.Controversies
The many acquisition and mergers attempts have not been without their hitches. In an attempt to create a global publishing giant, Vivendi was forced to cut off its Editis subsidiary to complete the takeover bid for French publishing leader Hachette. This announcement was greeted with a great deal of skepticism about Vincent Bolloré's growing presence in the French media landscape. Numerous voices were raised against the billionaire's rapprochement with far-right movements, particularly as the political context of 2024 proved particularly turbulent in France. Many people are concerned about the non-neutrality of information relayed by media owned by the group, and less than a third of French consumers said they trusted the media in 2024.The Vivendi group has cemented its place as France's media behemoth. Whether in television, music, publishing or video games, the group has succeeded in adapting through profitable restructuring. And this is far from over - the group hopes to obtain the green light to split into four independent entities, a decision which should be taken in December 2024.
