PagesJaunes Groupe has bought Fine Media which operates a suite of consumer advice sites under the ComprendreChoisir.com banner.

“With the acquisition of 100 per cent of the capital of Fine Media, PagesJaunes is broadening its offering in local advertising for professionals” declared the group.

ComprendreChoisir.com counts some 1.5 million unique visitors per month and is composed of 280 microsites of themed advice on businesses, services and goods. For PagesJaunes it makes a logical fit in adding value to its local advertising and directories model. It’s also further evidence of the group’s continuing push away from the paper directories model and into digital. PagesJaunes has committed to making 50 per cent of its revenue from digital assets by 2012.

The sum paid for the acquisition remains undisclosed.

French directories portal PagesJaunes has bought 100 percent of job site Embauche.com for the modest sum of €410,000.

The move is not seen as a strategic departure so much as a diversification although it remains to be seen how the new acquisition will be organised alongside PagesJaunes’ existing jobsite, AnnoncesJaunes.fr.  AnnoncesJaunes is current managed by a third party, RegionsJob.com, and attracts 2.5 million unique visitors per month.