Investors received mixed messages about the long-awaited Telepiu deal yesterday, after News Corp contradicted Vivendi Universal's announcement it had sold its Italian pay TV arm to News for €1 billion ($A1.8 billion), claiming it had yet to sign a definitive agreement. Vivendi chief executive Jean-Rene Fourtou reportedly told investors at a strategy update in Paris on Wednesday that the sale of Telepiu had been completed. News Corp was quick to deny this, claiming it was still in negotiations to buy the unprofitable pay TV business.