Tamedia and FPH: Competition Commission to investigate newspaper swap
The swap of regional newspapers between Tamedia and Freie Presse Holding (FPH) may still come under scrutiny after all: According to the Sonntag newspaper, the losers of the deal want to file a complaint with the Competition Commission (Weko) for illegal territorial agreements. Tamedia is also expected to face a second complaint regarding 20 minutes.
The complaint will be filed in the coming weeks, according to the report. The aim is to force the Competition Commission to review the swap. The plaintiffs refer to Article 5, paragraph 3 of the Cartel Act, according to which effective competition could be eliminated if two competing companies enter into "agreements on the division of markets by territory". This is precisely what this case has been announced: In a press release dated April 15, Tamedia and FPH announced that they had "agreed to swap their regional newspaper holdings in the cantons of Thurgau and Zurich" - with the aim of "creating more advantageous economic prospects for the daily newspapers involved." Both Tamedia and FPH are relaxed when asked: The Weko secretariat examined the transfer prior to completion and confirmed that the transaction was not subject to notification, according to Tamedia. According to FPH, they had been in contact with the ComCo. It has given the green light.
Excessively high advertising prices at 20 minutes - another lawsuit against Tamedia
A second lawsuit against Tamedia is also said to be in preparation. The accusation: After the Recruitment of Le Matin Bleu In the fall of 2009, the free newspaper 20 minutes in French-speaking Switzerland abused its dominant market position. For example, advertising prices had risen disproportionately. At the beginning of 2010, Tamedia raised the gross page price of 20 minutes by 45 percent. The price for an advertising page rose from CHF 12,700 to CHF 18,400.
