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The acquisition of Channel 3 by Nova TV creates the conditions for a dominant position of the future media group and this will affect the relatively small television market in Bulgaria, according to the Association of European Journalists of Bulgaria (AEJ). The organization’s position on the agreement pending approval by the Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) recalls that the arguments by which the antitrust authority prohibited the Czech billionaire Peter Kellner from buying Nova Broadcasting Group are fully relevant to the Current situation.
The United Media Group would be a large media conglomerate for the country, according to the journalistic organization.
The current deal aims to acquire Channel 3, Veselina, Vitosha, Magic FM, The Voice and The Voice TV. According to television audience data, Nova TV is one of the two most popular. “Channel 3 is also among the most watched televisions, sometimes its ranking reaches fourth place,” the post reads.
According to AEJ, the concentration of the two groups would have a serious impact on the relatively small television market in Bulgaria and would probably create the conditions for a dominant position, putting at a disadvantage the main competitors of Nova TV, bTV and the National Television of Bulgaria. “Apart from television, the agreement would affect the entire media market in Bulgaria; concentrating media of almost all types and subject areas would be an unfair advantage over competitors operating in any division of the media market,” they said.
AEJ emphasizes that the proposed agreement will formalize the now existing informal concentration.
Following the change in ownership of Nova Broadcasting Group, key management figures and journalists from Channel 3 were transferred to Nova TV; the two media follow a similar editorial policy, characterized by support for the ruling party, as well as the interests of the opposition deputy Delyan. Peevski. Although not officially owned by Peevski, there are significant similarities between the content that appears in the two media groups and in the MP’s newspapers. “The purpose of the acquisition of Channel 3 by Nova Broadcasting Group is likely to optimize processes in the merged media group,” added AEJ.
They also recall how some time ago the CPC rejected the acquisition of Nova Broadcasting Group by Czech businessman Petar Kellner. “The CPC then found that the acquired group had significant financial and organizational resources, the opportunity to realize economies of scale and scope, and an established image. According to the decision at the time, the significant amount of media available to the merged group gave it it would give a significant advantage over other participants who provide media services, “the post reads.
The association notes that if in the failed deal with Kellner, the prospective buyer did not own other means, but only the relatively unknown ad site pazaruvaj.com, now the arguments sound quite reasonable, as it is a merger between two groups with important media resources. .
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