OFT clears Trinity Mirror acquisition of Guardian Media Group's regional titles

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The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will not refer Trinity Mirror's acquisition of Guardian Media Group's regional titles to the Competition Commission.

The merger, which saw the sale of the Manchester Evening News and the cutting of the Guardian's ties with its Manchester origins, was cleared by the OFT today.

GMG confirmed the sale of its regional media business to Trinity Mirror in February for a total consideration of £44.8 million, ending long-running speculation about discussions between the two publishers. The OFT sought views from interested parties on the merger and would have referred it to the Competition Commission "for investigation and report" if it was found to create "a substantial lessening of competition, within any market, or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services".

As part of the acquisition, Trinity Mirror acquires 32 newspapers and associated websites which operated under GMG's MEN Media in the north west, including the Manchester Evening News and S&B Media in the south of England. The new owners have also proposed moving the MEN's central newsroom to premises in Oldham.

Under GMG ownership, the businesses made no operating profit in the 12 months to December 2009. As part of the deal, Trinity Mirror will pay £37.4 million to release GMG from a long-term printing contract.

Channel M, the local television station operating out of the Manchester Evening News' newsroom, has not been taken on by Trinity Mirror. In March GMG announced it would cut staff at the channel from 33 to four and scale back its programming.

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