Examining Competition Impact
The regulatory body stated that it will be assessing whether the merger of these companies’ print operations would result in a significant reduction in competition within any market or markets in the U.K. for goods or services.
Inquiry Timeline and Comments
The first phase of the investigation is set to conclude on March 28, and interested parties are invited to submit their comments by February 15.
Acknowledgment from DMGH and News Corp U.K.
DMGH acknowledged the CMA’s probe and expressed that it would be inappropriate to provide further comments due to the ongoing regulatory review process. Similarly, News Corp U.K. recognized the review and confirmed that their respective print operations will continue to operate independently throughout the investigation.
Goals of the Joint Venture
If approved, the proposed joint venture would establish a new company integrating DMG and News U.K.’s print operations. According to a spokesperson for News Corp U.K., this collaborative effort aims to enhance the efficiency of both News U.K. and DMG Media’s print operations while establishing a sustainable business model for newspaper printing in the U.K.
Background Information
On October 3, the companies initially proposed creating a joint venture to oversee the combined print operations from News U.K. and DMG Media. News Corp is the parent company of Dow Jones & Co., which publishes The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires.
(Note: Information regarding the current status of shares has been omitted)