The board of Telecom Italia Media (TCM.MI) is expected to consider on Thursday whether to merge its Apcom news agency with two other news agencies within a new holding company, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Under such a plan, Apcom would merge with the Asca agency owned by businessman Luigi Abete and the Dire news agency, the sources said. Recent reports have speculated that Abete will likely have a 60 percent stake in the holding company, with TI Media holding 30 percent and Dire 10 percent.

The board of Telecom Italia Media, a unit of Telecom Italia (TLIT.MI), meets on Thursday to discuss its full-year results. TI Media has been reorganising its operations to cut costs and boost revenues. (Reporting by Paolo Biondi, editing by Will Waterman)