LNK TELEVISION ACQUIRES BALTIJOS TELEVISION

On 22 May 2013, the Competition Council (Konkurencijos taryba, KT) cleared a merger wherein UAB Laisvas ir nepriklausomas kanalas (LNK) acquired 100 per cent of UAB Baltijos TV (BTV) shares.

LNK is engaged in broadcasting of television programs in Lithuania. LNK owns four free national television programs – Info TV, Liuks! LNK and TV1.

BTV is engaged in broadcasting of television programs in Lithuania. BTV owns one free national television program – BTV.

The KT, in the course of the merger examination, investigated circumstances, significant to the activity of broadcasting and rebroadcasting of television programs in Lithuania as well as the merger impact on competition in the relevant markets.

The KT determined that after the implementation of the merger LNK market share concerned with the dissemination of advertisement via television would increase by BTV market share, however this would not result in creation or strengthening of a dominant position, or significant restriction of competition in the relevant market since a strong competitor UAB TV3 remains.

The implementation of the merger would not have a negative impact on the purchase of the production that constitute the content of television programs as in this particular market a dominant position would not be created or strengthened, or competition would not be significantly restricted because BTV is not a strong competitor for the biggest televisions in Lithuania – LNK, LRT and TV3 – when purchasing the production that constitute the content of television programs.

Having evaluated all the circumstances determined in the course of the merger investigation, the KT acknowledged that the implemented merger will not create or strengthen a dominant position, or significantly restrict competition in the relevant markets.

Communication division