...and then there was one

Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Swiss Competition Commission has given its blessing to the proposed sale of Edipresse’s Swiss operations to Zurich-based Tamedia on the grounds that competition is not threatened by the takeover. Edipresse, Switzerland’s third-largest media company, is based in Lausanne and its operations in Switzerland are limited to the French-speaking area. Tamedia owns media mostly in the German-speaking part of the country.

The competition authorites say that there is no significant overlap in the market coverage.

They looked closely at the planned merger of the two free newspapers in the French-speaking market, one of which is owned by Tamedia and the other by Edipresse. They came to the conclusion that one or the other will have to fold, since both are losing money. Le Matin Bleu, the Edipresse free newspaper, will disappear.

The two companies have explained their merger by saying that Switzerland needs a stronger media company to face competition from outside the country. Their stated plans include a heavier focus on online activities.

Background:

• “Swiss free dailies merge as Edipresse and Tamedia join forces“, 03 March 2009, GenevaLunch
• “Swiss media: Bern looks at competition issues, journalists march over jobs“, 27 May 2009, GenevaLunch

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