Vivendi Universal

Vivendi Universal SA

Type	Public (Euronext: EX, NYSE: V)
Founded	2000
Location	Paris, France
Key people	Jean-Bernard Lévy (Chairman and CEO) Jacques Espinasse (Chief Financial Officer)
Industry	Media
Slogan	""
Products	Music, film, publishing, pay TV services, programming
Revenue	€21.428 billion EUR (Y/E 31.12.04)
Operating income	{{{operating_income}}}
Net income	{{{net_income}}}
Employees
Website	http://www.vivendiuniversal.com
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Vivendi Universal (VU) is a French company active in media and communications with activities in music, television and film, publishing, telecommunications and the Internet.

The company disclosed a corporate loss of 23.3 billion euros in its 2002 annual report: the worst loss to this date for a French company. Amid intense media scrutiny, its flamboyant Chairman and CEO, Jean-Marie Messier (who had overseen the most dramatic phase of the company's diversification), was subsequently replaced by Jean-René Fourtou.

History

Vivendi Universal was created in December of 2000 with the massive merger of the Vivendi media empire with Canal+ television networks and the Canadian company Seagram, the owner of Universal Studios film company. What had once been Vivendi's core business (water and waste services and other utilities) had previously been spun off as a separate company, now known as Veolia Environnement.

See the individual companies' articles for pre-merger company history.

2001

• In 2001, VU acquired MP3.com and a leading American publisher, Houghton Mifflin.

2002

• In 2002, VU began facing financial trouble. It began financial reshuffling, trying to shore up media holdings while selling off shares in its spin-off companies.
• VU reduced its stake in Vivendi Environnement to 40% and sold its stake in Vinci Construction.
• The flamboyant company's Chairman and CEO, Jean-Marie Messier (who had overseen the most dramatic phase of Vivendi's diversification) resigned. He was replaced by Jean-Rene Fourtou. The company then began reorganizing to stave off bankruptcy. The company announced its strategy to sell non-strategic assets. Its largest single shareholder was the family of Edgar Bronfman, Jr., who was head of Seagram at the time of the merger.
• VU sold its stake in Vizzavi to Vodafone, with the exception of Vizzavi France. It also sold 20.4% of Vivendi Environnement's capital to a group of investors, and its stake in North American satellite operator EchoStar Communications Corporation.

2003

• VU sold Canal+ Technologies to Thomson (formerly Thomson Multimédia); Tele+ to News Corporation and Telecom Italia. It also sold its 26.3% interest in Xfera.
• On March 6, 2003, Vivendi disclosed its annual report (term ended at December 31,2002), that is downloadable in pdf format on its site. Some highlights include:
  • Corporate loss of 23.3 billion euros: the worst loss for a French company.
  • Net debt of 12.3 billion euros
  • Vivendi will sell assets for 7 billons euros in 2003
• On December 1, 2003, Vivendi closed a deal to sell MP3.com to CNET.

2004

• The Vivendi Universal Entertainment branch merged with NBC to form NBC Universal.
• VU also sold its interests in Kencell, Monaco Telecom and Sportfive (which it held through Canal+ Group).
• VU sold Newsworld International to the business partnership of Joel Hyatt and former Vice-President of the United States Al Gore
• VU and Valve Software (makers of Half-Life) went head to head over the distribution of Half-Life 2 to cyber cafés, they later came to an agreement stating:
  • The authority of distributing cyber café licenses are to be handed over to Valve from VUG (and Sierra), and licenses granted by VUG and Sierra to cyber cafés prior to the agreement are revoked.
  • VUG would cease distributing all retail packaged versions of Valve games by August 31, 2005.

2005

• VU shuts down the fanmade King's Quest IX project, a few months before the final release date.

• Petition is started to save the shut down King's Quest IX project is started. Save Kings Quest IX

• VUG (Vivendi Universal Games) on the 9th December 2005, reaches agreement with Phoenix Freeware (developers of the King's Quest IX project) to continue development. Press release: "After extensive evaluation, Vivendi Universal Games is pleased to announce that the fan developed trilogy project 'The Silver Lining' (previously known as King's Quest IX: Every Cloak Has A Silver Lining), based on characters from Sierra Entertainment's 'Kings Quest' series, has been given approval to continue development. We look forward to seeing the first of its three upcoming chapters, 'Shadows', completed soon." - VIVENDI UNIVERSAL GAMES

• King's Quest IX is set 3 months behind shedule but back in development now. The developers hope to release the first game in the trilogy Q2 of 2006 or earlier. No official date has been set.

Current assets (partial list)

• Canal+ Group - 100%
• Universal Music Group - 92%
• Vivendi Universal Games - 99% (which includes Blizzard Entertainment)
• NBC Universal - 20% long-term ownership interest
• SFR - 56%
• Maroc Telecom - 51%
• Sierra Entertainment
• Seagram

See also

• List of French companies
• List of assets owned by Vivendi Universal

External links

• VivendiUniversal.com - Official site
• Ketupa - Vivendi and Universal extensive profile