Exhibit 99.1


                         [VIVENDI UNIVERSAL LETTERHEAD]


                   FTC Closes Investigation of NBC-VUE Merger


Paris, April 20, 2004 - Today the United States Federal Trade Commission
notified Vivendi Universal [Paris Bourse: EX FP; NYSE: V] that the agency will
not oppose the proposed merger of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment.

The companies intend to complete the merger within the next few weeks.

Important Disclaimer:

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined
in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ
materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of
risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control, including but
not limited to, the risk that the parties' intentions to complete the
transaction will not materialize according to the timing stated above, as well
as other risks described in the documents Vivendi Universal has filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the French Autorite des Marches
Financiers. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of documents
filed by Vivendi Universal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at
www.sec.gov or directly from Vivendi Universal. Vivendi Universal does not
undertake, nor has any obligation, to provide, update or revise any
forward-looking statements.