Funke media group offers new commitments
31.03.2014
The Bundeskartellamt confirms that in the examination proceedings concerning the acquisition of HÖRZU, FUNK UHR, TV DIGITAL and TV NEU, the media group Funke-Mediengruppe (FMG) and Axel Springer SE have submitted a new commitment proposal. According to the Bundeskartellamt's current assessment this proposal is sufficient to dispel the authority's concerns about competition in this sector (see Press Release of 25 February 2014).
Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: "Both publishing houses have responded to our concerns and improved key aspects of their commitment to sell certain TV programme magazine titles to an independent third party. Such a commitment only makes sense if the buyer of the titles is able to position itself as a genuine competitor".
The new proposal envisages the resale of eight TV programme magazines to Klambt Medienholding. The package includes Funkuhr, which alone has a paid circulation of approx. 500,000 copies, and several titles which fit in well in the portfolio of the Klambt-Verlag publishing house, which publishes, among others, the magazines IN, OKAY, LEA and 7 TAGE.
The companies admitted to the proceedings now have the possibility to comment. The deadline for a final decision ends on 30 April 2014. 