Will ACCC come to Foxtel’s party?
Competition watchdog to announce findings on Foxtel / TEN deal on Pay TV's 20th birthday.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Subscription
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is due to hand down its findings on Foxtel’s bid to buy into Network TEN on Thursday -also the same date the Subscription TV provider marks 20 years on air in Australia.
But there are no guarantees the competition watchdog will be sending a gift -with media reports today stating it could approve, reject or defer a final decision amid concerns the deal could position the companies in sports right biddings.
The ACCC is also examining the merger of TEN’s advertising sales division with Multi-Channel Network, the Australian Financial Review reports. TEN has already merged its sales with MCN.
Meanwhile the Australian Communications and Media Authority is expected to clear the media companies on the “two out of three” reach rule, after reports DMG Radio’s Lachlan Murdoch will not have a controlling interest in TEN.
AFR reports TEN and Foxtel may need to agree to court enforceable undertakings to not engage in certain activities.
One Response
The regulator needs to do what ever they can to make sure that competition stays strong within the FTA sector. The ACCC must not have double standards. They didn’t allow Kerry Stokes to buy Consolidated Media Holdings which at the time owned part of FOX Sports because it was thought that would have given 7 Network an unfair advantage in terms of sports rights.