Decision Nº M/03/022 from Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, 2003-08-06

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Parties: The Irish Field,The Agricultural Trust
• Date: 06 August 2003
• Decision Date: 06 August 2003
• Decision Number: M/03/022
• Court: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission

Determination of the Competition Authority

Determination No. M/03/022 of the Competition Authority, dated August 6,

under Section 21 of the Competition Act, 2002

Notification No. M/03/022 – Acquisition by The Agricultural Trust of The Irish

Field

Introduction

1. On 11th July 2003 the Competition Authority, in accordance with Section 18 (1)

of the Competition Act, 2002 (“the Act”) was notified, on a mandatory basis, of a

proposal whereby The Agricultural Trust would acquire the titles, goodwill and

records of The Irish Field from The Irish Times Limited. The Authority advised

the notifying party and the Minister that it considers the acquisition to be a media

merger within the meaning of the Act.

The Parties

2. The Agricultural Trust is a charitable trust set up for the purposes of promoting

farming and rural development. It publishes The Irish Farmers Journal, which is

Ireland’s leading agricultural newspaper, with a circulation of approximately

70,000 copies per week. The Irish Farmers Journal contains a five page section

of equestrian news called The Irish Horse,

3. The Irish Field is a weekly newspaper published by the Irish Times, which

provides information for persons involved in the Irish horse industry to include

news on racing, equestrian events and breeding. It has a circulation of about

12,000 copies per week.

Analysis

4. On a broad view of the market concerned, as consisting of the supply of

newspapers in Ireland, the proposed transaction will in fact lessen concentration.

The circulation of the Irish Times and the Irish Field, both owned by the Irish

Times Limited is far higher than the circulation figures for the Irish Farmers

Journal.

5. If the relevant product market is defined more narrowly as the supply of

agricultural newspapers and periodicals in Ireland, to include special interest

publications relating to animals, then the proposed transaction increases

concentration. However, the “Farming” supplements of both the Irish Examiner

and the Irish Independent, which are closer substitutes for the Irish Farmers

Journal than the Irish Field, will exercise strong competitive constraints on it.

Moreover, two UK publications, The Racing Post, a specialist newspaper

providing racing news and analysis and the Horse and Hound magazine, an

equestrian weekly, are closer substitutes for The Irish Field and will continue to

exercise competitive constraints on it.

6. If the relevant product market is defined even more narrowly as weekly horse

industry publications, then the proposed transaction gives rise to increased

1