The controversial 17.9 percent stake that BSkyB (NYSE: BSY) holds in ITV (LSE: ITV) has been up for sale, and multiple suitors have expressed interest. Among them, European broadcaster RTL and Haim Saban, the Israeli-American media mogul, reports Times UK. As you know, Sky bought the stake in 2006, to block a takeover by Virgin Media (NSDQ: VMED), and the govt. has ordered the company to reduce its stake to less than 7.5 percent. Sky is appealing the ruling by the Competition Commission.

RTL has held talks with Sky before, and now renewed it, the story says. The group owns Five, operator of the UK’s fifth and smallest terrestrial channel. Saban, meanwhile, owns the Saban Capital Group, whose current portfolio includes Univision, the largest Spanish language media company in the US, and Israel’s former state-owned telecoms group Bezeq. One of his most successful investments was in Germany’s largest commercial broadcaster, ProSiebenSat.1 (FRA: PSM) Media.

• BSkyB Ordered To Reduce ITV Stake From 17.5 Percent To 7.5 Percent