ACM clears acquisition of SBS by media company Talpa

Talpa Holding is cleared to acquire media company Sanoma Image (which includes SBS). The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) does not foresee this acquisition harming the options for consumers and advertisers.

Talpa has several radio stations as well as a company that sells broadcasting time for advertisements (OMS). Currently, Talpa already owns 33 percent of shares in Sanoma Image.

Sanoma Image houses the Dutch television stations SBS6, Net5, Veronica, and SBS9. In addition, Sanoma Image sells broadcasting time for TV commercials, and offers online-marketing services.

The acquisition will have little effect on the media landscape in the Netherlands. The radio and television stations will continue to exist. ACM has conducted a further investigation into the advertising market.
 

Radio ads and television ads

After the acquisition, the sale of broadcasting time of radio ads and television ads will come under a single roof. ACM has assessed whether that situation would create anticompetitive risks on these markets. OMS has a strong position on the radio advertising market. ACM comes to the conclusion that OMS’s strong position on this market cannot be transferred to the radio and television advertising market on the SBS stations. This is mainly because competitor stations of Netherlands Public Broadcasting (NPO) and of commercial broadcaster RTL have a large reach.

ACM has additionally assessed whether Talpa’s position on the radio advertising market becomes stronger because of its ability to offer advertisers combined radio and television advertising space. ACM has established that Talpa is not materially able to put its competitors at a disadvantage in this manner. Here too, ACM does not foresee any issues regarding the options for consumers and advertisers.