Competition Commission
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CC retains BBC magazine undertakings

The Competition Commission (CC) has formally decided to retain undertakings which restrict the BBC’s ability to promote magazines which it also publishes.

This confirms the CC’s provisional decision which was made in August.
 
The undertakings followed a
1992 report by the CC’s predecessor, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which found that the BBC’s use of free airtime to promote its magazines was against the public interest.
 
Since then the BBC has sold its magazines business (in 2011) to Exponent Private Equity LLP except for a limited number of specific consumer magazines, such as Gardeners’ World, Top Gear, Match of the Day and Good Food, for which Exponent has agreements to publish them on behalf of BBC Worldwide.

The CC has decided that as the BBC still receives sales-related income from those magazines covered by the publishing and licensing agreements, it needs to keep the undertakings in place as the BBC retains the incentive to promote them on its shows.

Notes for editors

1. The CC is an independent public body, which carries out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries.

2. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has a duty to keep under review orders and undertakings made under the Fair Trading Act 1973 and the Enterprise Act 2002 and, from time to time, to consider whether, by reason of any change of circumstances, an order and/or undertaking is no longer appropriate. The CC has the power to vary or revoke the orders and/or undertakings. It will now review the OFT’s advice and make a final decision.

3. The Group that reviewed these undertakings comprised certain members of the Remedies Standing Group: Roger Witcomb, Martin Cave, Alasdair Smith, Simon Polito and Thomas Hoehn.

4. Enquiries should be directed to Rory Taylor or Siobhan Allen on 020 7271 0242.

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