Head of the Cartel Office Bröge on the Springer veto
The Federal Cartel Office justified its veto against the acquisition of ProSiebenSat.1 by citing the newspaper publisher's excessive media and advertising power.
The German Federal Cartel Office has vetoed
the takeover of ProSiebenSat.1 with too large a media and
advertising power of the newspaper publisher. It would have led to a serious
deterioration in competition. A merger between Springer and
Germany's largest TV group would have been in the TV advertising market, the
readership market for tabloid newspapers and the newspaper advertising market.
market power that cannot be authorized under antitrust law
led. Ulf Bröge made this announcement on Tuesday in Bonn after
had already informed Springer Verlag on Monday evening. The
Concerns that the Cartel Office's tough stance could lead to half of the
German private television could fall into foreign hands, considers
Bröge did not consider this to be justified. Moreover, ProSiebenSat.1 today belongs to
already a foreigner.
ProsiebenSat.1 and the RTL broadcasting group, which belongs to Bertelsmann, have
a joint dominant position in the television advertising market
(duopoly), each with a 40 percent market share. The reader market of
tabloid newspapers is already being developed by Springer Verlag with the
Bild newspaper (approx. 80 percent market share). In the market for
German daily newspapers, Springer already has a market share of
around 40 percent with the newspapers Bild and Welt.
Axel Springer Verlag now has four weeks to lodge a complaint with the
Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court. A legal dispute could continue until
the Federal Court of Justice. Does Springer have an overriding interest
of the general public or macroeconomic advantages,
the publisher has the option of a ministerial license. A
This goes beyond pure antitrust law.
the takeover of ProSiebenSat.1 with too large a media and
advertising power of the newspaper publisher. It would have led to a serious
deterioration in competition. A merger between Springer and
Germany's largest TV group would have been in the TV advertising market, the
readership market for tabloid newspapers and the newspaper advertising market.
market power that cannot be authorized under antitrust law
led. Ulf Bröge made this announcement on Tuesday in Bonn after
had already informed Springer Verlag on Monday evening. The
Concerns that the Cartel Office's tough stance could lead to half of the
German private television could fall into foreign hands, considers
Bröge did not consider this to be justified. Moreover, ProSiebenSat.1 today belongs to
already a foreigner.
ProsiebenSat.1 and the RTL broadcasting group, which belongs to Bertelsmann, have
a joint dominant position in the television advertising market
(duopoly), each with a 40 percent market share. The reader market of
tabloid newspapers is already being developed by Springer Verlag with the
Bild newspaper (approx. 80 percent market share). In the market for
German daily newspapers, Springer already has a market share of
around 40 percent with the newspapers Bild and Welt.
Axel Springer Verlag now has four weeks to lodge a complaint with the
Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court. A legal dispute could continue until
the Federal Court of Justice. Does Springer have an overriding interest
of the general public or macroeconomic advantages,
the publisher has the option of a ministerial license. A
This goes beyond pure antitrust law.
