Springer/Funke - TV programme magazines
Talks held with the Bundeskartellamt about the divestment of several print titles

The Bundeskartellamt confirms that it has yesterday issued a preliminary assessment of the planned acquisition of the TV programme magazines Hörzu, Funk Uhr, TV Digital and TV neu owned by Axel Springer SE by the media group Funke Mediengruppe (FMG). The companies involved now have the possibility to comment. The deadline for a final decision ends on 22 April 2014.

Based on the preliminary result of its examination the Bundeskartellamt believes that there is a dominant oligopoly of four suppliers on the reader and advertising markets for TV programme magazines. Apart from Springer and FMG there are only two other publishing houses in Germany which publish TV programme magazines: Heinrich Bauer Verlag (inter alia TV Hören und Sehen, TV 14) and Hubert Burda Media (inter alia TV Spielfilm).

FMG's takeover of the print titles previously published by Springer would reduce the number of suppliers on the reader and advertising market for TV programme magazines from four to three. According to the Bundeskartellamt's preliminary assesssment this would strengthen the dominant oligopoly. To solve these competition problems the parties have proposed to sell several programme magazine titles. However, the authority believes that in its present form the proposal is not sufficient.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: "The talks with the parties on the divestment of specific programme magazines have not yet been concluded. The companies have now also received our preliminary assessment of the project in writing. This is an important procedural step, also for the continuation of our talks. In our view it is still possible to solve the competition problems. However, improvements are still clearly needed."

The TV programme magazines represent the second part of proceedings within the framework of an overall transaction between Funke and Springer. In a first step the Bundeskartellamt had cleared the takeover of Hamburger Abendblatt, Berliner Morgenpost, several advertising newspapers and the women's magazines of Axel Springer SE by Funke Mediengruppe (see Bundeskartellamt press release of 3 December 2013). A decision is still outstanding on the establishment of two joint ventures by Funke and Springer for the marketing of advertisements and the distribution of print media.