United Media has filed a request with the Serbian Commission to Protect Competition to buy 100 percent of the Direct Media company, a Direct Media official said on Tuesday.

The request was filed for operations on the markets in Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania and includes a subordinate request for Direct Media to buy the terrestrial TV stations Pink BiH and Pink Montenegro.  

“Direct Media is a modern advertising agency with a large number of clients in several countries in the region, it has excellent relations with TV stations and other media and well developed models to place and monetize local productions and attractive content which is why we recognised it as an excellent platform to launch a transformation of television in the region through new technologies which are being introduced all over the world,” United Media CEO Aleksandra Subotic said.

“Direct Media has been a regional leaderson the media and communications agency market for almost two decades as well as an important partner in the production of TV content. We are glad that United Media recognized the value of Direct Media and I believe that our merger will be a key element in the transformation of the region in the future of television advertising in the new digital age,” Direct Media CEO Krassimir Guergov said.

The acquisition makes Direct Media a part of the United Media system, continuing the development of new technologies, innovative advertising models and digital marketing which will enable placement through various platforms and secure the Direct Media potential for further growth, a statement said.