Sept 4 (Reuters) - MFE-MediaForEurope said in

a regulatory filing on Thursday that it now held a stake of

75.61% in ProSiebenSat.1, securing control after a

drawn-out takeover tussle over the German broadcaster.

The deal is part of a wider push by MFE, controlled by

Italy's Berlusconi family, to create a European ad-funded TV

platform amid fierce competition for viewers and advertisers.

Shares in MFE extended gains on the news and were up

5.2% at 0929 GMT.

The offer, which had its cut-off date on Monday, valued

ProSieben, which also operates in Austria and Switzerland, at

about 1.8 billion euros ($2.1 billion).

MFE, which runs TV operations in Italy and Spain, sees

European expansion as vital for holding its own against U.S.

streaming giants such as Netflix ( NFLX ) and YouTube,

which are grabbing advertising spending and viewers.