Bundeskartellamt clears participation of Signa Medien in the publisher of “Ostthüringer Zeitung”

The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the intended acquisition by SIGNA Medien GmbH based in Innsbruck (Austria) of 40 per cent of the shares and thus joint control of the publishers of “Ostthüringer Zeitung” in the first phase of merger control.

SIGNA Medien will take over its participation from Rheinisch-Westfälische Verlagsgesellschaft. The remaining 60 per cent of the shares in “Ostthüringer Zeitung” will continue to be held by a company of Funke Mediengruppe.

In September 2021 the Bundeskartellamt prohibited the acquisition by Funke Mediengruppe of the shares from Rheinisch-Westfälische Verlagsgesellschaft and thus sole control of “Ostthüringer Zeitung” (see press release of 28 September 2021). This decision was guided by the fact that Funke Mediengruppe is also the publisher of “Thüringische Landeszeitung”, whose circulation area overlaps with that of “Ostthüringer Zeitung” in the Jena and Gera regions. Their merger would have eliminated the remaining competition between regional dailies in these regions.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: “SIGNA Medien acquires the legal position of the former co-shareholder and, like its predecessor, the company is currently not active on the relevant press markets in Thuringia. In contrast to Funke’s acquisition project, a deterioration of the conditions of competition is not expected in this case.