The Weko examines the takeover of Basler Zeitung by Tamedia in more detail
The Swiss Federal Competition Commission (Comco) will conduct an in-depth investigation into the takeover of Basler Zeitung. This involves a possible dominant position on various markets by Tamedia. A final decision is expected in December 2018.
There are indications that the merger could create or strengthen a dominant position in the markets for advertisers of job classified ads in print and online in German-speaking Switzerland and in the Basel area, the Weko announced on Tuesday. It also said there were indications that a collective dominant position could be created or strengthened in the reader market for daily newspapers in the Basel economic area, in the market for the provision of national print corporate advertising in German-speaking Switzerland and in the markets for advertisers of real estate classified ads in German-speaking Switzerland and the Basel economic area. Therefore, the Weko will examine in depth how the planned merger will affect competition.
Acquisition delayed
The review must take place within the statutory period of four months, the Weko further states. The in-depth examination of the planned takeover of the Basel Newspaper (BaZ) by Tamedia from the previous owner Zeitungshaus AG, the completion of the acquisition of the two newspapers Tagblatt of the City of Zurich as well as Furttaler/Rümlanger by Christoph Blocher's Zeitungshaus AG, Tamedia writes in a statement.
Tamedia assumes approval by the Weko
Tamedia continues to assume that the competition authority will give its approval, as it has not yet had any business activities focused on the Basel region, the Tamedia release continues.
The decision is expected by the end of the year at the latest. The integration of the Basel Newspaper into Tamedia's network and succeed Markus Somm, who became editor-in-chief of the Basel Newspaper by the end of 2018, will be informed at a later date.
The 1977 merger of the left-liberal National Newspaper with the bourgeois-conservative Basel News created BaZ still has 99,000 readers today (Mach study), with a circulation of 46,353 copies (WEMF, with Replica). The weekly Tagblatt of the City of Zurich is 126,594 copies; as the city's official gazette, it is distributed to most households. (SDA/hae)
