ABSTRACT
From a financial and economic perspective, Grupo Prisa has certainly been the largest and most influential Spanish pure media conglomerate since the 1980s. This chapter summarizes the more important media investments made by the company through its expansion years (1984–2007), as well as the main asset divestments undertaken after the 2008 financial crisis. It will give an overview of the company, divided into its main business areas: education-publishing, radio, and news (press). Grupo Prisa’s financial data, market share, and corporate strategies are reviewed, including an analysis of its revenues, net results, and financial debt. The company carried a huge debt due to its aggressive expansion strategy, with heavy investments in multiplatform media assets across Spain and internationally. This led to increasing financialization of Grupo Prisa and high volatility.
