▁directory ▁Inf ob el . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁sold ▁Canal + ▁Techn ologies ▁to ▁Thom son ▁SA ; ▁Tele + ▁to ▁News ▁Corporation ▁and ▁Tele com ▁Italia . ▁It ▁also ▁sold ▁its ▁ 2 6 . 3 % ▁interest ▁in ▁X fer a . ▁Also ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁it ▁sold ▁its ▁consumer ▁mag az ines ▁to ▁Soc pres se ▁and ▁its ▁free ▁newsp apers ▁to ▁France ▁Ant illes . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁December , ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁closed ▁a ▁deal ▁to ▁sell ▁MP 3 . com ▁to ▁C NET . ▁Despite ▁predictions ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁unable ▁to ▁raise ▁the ▁c ash ▁needed , ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁bought ▁out ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁minor ity ▁share hold ers ▁in ▁C eg et el , ▁taking ▁its ▁holding ▁to ▁ 6 0 ▁percent , ▁with ▁V od af one ▁holding ▁the ▁remaining ▁ 4 0 ▁percent . ▁Management ▁viewed ▁the ▁mobile ▁communic ations ▁firm ▁as ▁a ▁core ▁asset ▁once ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁media ▁assets ▁had ▁been ▁sold ▁off . ▁ ▁Further ▁ac quis itions , ▁mer gers ▁and ▁div est ments ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁ 8 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁subs idi ary ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁G E , ▁to ▁form ▁N BC ▁Universal , ▁with ▁Viv endi ▁retain ing ▁a ▁ 2 0 ▁percent ▁st ake . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁it ▁sold ▁a ▁ 5 0 % ▁st ake ▁in ▁Canal