As expected — albeit on a slow timetable — Italy’s Competition Authority announced last Thursday it has formally opened an investigation into the proposed purchase of RCS Media’s book publishing group by Mondadori. (After more than 7 months of negotiation and consideration, the 127.5 million euro sale was agreed to by the RCS board last October.) The combined companies are expected to control approximately 35 percent of the trade book market in Italy. The CA will aim to “determine whether the acquisition of RCS books by Mondadori will result in the creation or strengthening of a dominant position” in the trade publishing market. […]
