Meantime the RCA brand name as it applies to consumer electronics could be about to change hands again, with yet more of the US and Europe’s consumer electronics transferring to the Far East. Soon-Hoon Bae, Daewoo Electronics Co Ltd chairman, confirmed to Les Echos that the South Korean was ready to buy Thomson Multimedia as part of the privatization of Thomson SA. As well as RCA television sets and a string of European brands, Thomson Multimedia includes direct broadcast satellite equipment in the US and the Sun-TV alliance with Sun Microsystems Inc on video on demand. The French state is weighing various possibilities for the sale of loss-making Thomson, which also includes the Thomson-CSF defence electronics group. Alcatel-Alsthom SA wants all of Thomson while Lagardere Groupe wants Thomson-CSF, but wants an electronics group to acquire Thomson Multimedia. Daewoo has links with both Lagardere and Thomson.
