Carlos Slim eyes a bid for Univision

Haim Saban’s efforts to sell Univision Communications included talks with billionaire investor Carlos Slim Helú, The Post has learned. Mexico-based Slim, one of the wealthiest persons in the world, whose holdings include media assets, is said to be weighing a bid for the large Spanish-language TV network, according to sources.

“Carlos Slim could just come in and buy the whole thing,” said one source close to the owners, although foreign nationals are limited to holding 25 percent of US media companies.

Slim, worth $68 billion, couldn’t be reached for comment. Comcast and Netflix were also approached about buying the property, according to the source. Both parties declined comment, but insiders at both companies suggested there was no interest. Univision has been a big beneficiary of retransmission dollars paid by distributors to carry broadcast networks.

In 2007, Univision’s network earned just $37.5 million; it is projected to net $249.5 million in 2014, according to SNL Kagan. Univision ranked third in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic among all broadcast networks in the week of June 10, but as more Americans identify as Hispanic, media companies have been ramping up their own offerings.