Trinity Mirror’s Express takeover slowed down as competition regulators lift up the bonnet

Britain’s competition regulator today launched an investigation into the sale of Richard Desmond’s Express newspaper stable to the owner of the Daily Mirror. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it “will now assess whether this deal could significantly reduce competition within the UK media sector”. A deadline of 7 June has been set for a decision with interested parties invited to submit evidence to the investigation.

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Clarion acquires PennWell in the US for circa US$300m

Press release:  LONDON, April 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Clarion Events, one of the world’s leading events organizers, announces the acquisition of PennWell Corporation, a privately-held events and business-to-business media and marketing services company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Clarion is owned by funds managed by Blackstone, one of the world’s leading investment firms

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Future Publishing Acquires US Content Business NewBay Media

Press release:  SAN FRANCISCO, April 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Future plc, the global platform for specialist media, today announces it has completed the acquisition of NewBay Media, LLC. NewBay is an information and events business based in New York and London. It has a substantial B2B portfolio operating in verticals including Electronics and Education, and TV and Audio, where it publishes Broadcasting & Cable, the leading voice of authority in the television industry. Its business is mainly in the provision of conferences, magazines, events, digital content and data services. It also has a large consumer division in the Music vertical where it publishes magazines including Bass Player, Guitar World and Electronic Musician.

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Fitch Group Becomes a Wholly-Owned Hearst Business

Press release: NEW YORK, April 12, 2018 – Hearst announced today that it has purchased from Fimalac S.A. an additional 20 percent interest in global financial information services company Fitch Group, bringing Hearst’s equity interest to 100 percent. The transaction is valued at $2.8 billion. Hearst acquired its original interest in Fitch Group in 2006, and increased its holdings to 80 percent in 2015.

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Hedge funds build 13% stake in Sky

Hedge funds now control around £3bn of Sky shares, giving them major influence over the future of the British broadcaster as it is targeted for takeover by two rivals. The Mail can reveal that hedge funds based in Mayfair, New York and Chicago now own 13 per cent of Sky’s stock as it is embroiled in bids from 21st Century Fox and US cable giant Comcast

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GlobalData to Pay £90m for Research Views

Business media and insight group GlobalData has confirmed it will pay £90.0m to acquire energy, construction and financial services analyst Research Views Ltd – a company controlled by GlobalData CEO Michael Danson, its US MD Wayne Lloyd and other shareholders.

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Future To Acquire Five Specialist Titles From Haymarket Media Group

Press release:  Future plc (LSE: FUTR), the global platform for specialist media, today announces the proposed acquisition of five specialist consumer titles from Haymarket Media Group – What Hi-Fi?, Stuff, FourFourTwo, Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome – for a consideration of up to £14m, the majority of which is in the form of cash, with the balance in shares

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UBM Brazil acquires Grupo Energia

Press release: NEW YORK, March 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UBM Brazil announced that it has acquired Grupo CanalEnergia, the leading events and media company in the Brazilian energy sector. The acquisition furthers UBM’s strategy to expand its operations in Brazil and in Latin American renewables

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DMGT to dispose of property information business EDR

Press release: Following the announcement, in November 2017, of a process being under way to dispose of EDR, the US property information business, DMGT announces that a sale has been agreed. Silver Lake Partners and Battery Ventures, two leading private equity investors with experience in growing technology, data and software businesses and investing in evolving business models, will acquire EDR for $205 million

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GateHouse Media Buys ‘Austin American-Statesman’

GateHouse Media has acquired the Austin American-Statesman from Cox Enterprises for $47.5 million. The deal is expected to close April 2. GateHouse Media says it is the U.S.’s largest owner of daily newspapers across the country, with 130 daily newspapers and more than 540 local market websites. The company is based in upstate New York. The Statesman, with its daily circulation of 85,000 and digital subscriptions of 16,786, will be one of GateHouse’s largest newspapers.

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Sherwin Publications takes over 100% ownership of TCS&D

Sherwin Publications has announced that, as of 28 February 2018, it now has full ownership of the TCS&D exhibition. Since 2011, the exhibition has been run in partnership with Informa Exhibitions. It is a bi-annual show which helps companies promote its products and services to the perishable product supply chain.

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