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To The Editor:
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BNH
6/1/2000
By: Richard Blumenthal
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Thank you for your letter expressing concern over the Tribune Company's intention to acquire the Times Mirror Company.
I certainly share your thoughts and sentiments about the harm to the public interest that may arise as a result of this combination of newspapers and television broadcasting stations. As a consequence, I have advocated that relevant crossownership rules be retained, despite apparent efforts to rescind or suspend them.
The Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") regulations that proscribed such mergers were adopted to address a void in the antitrust law. Under relevant federal and state law, broadcast stations and newspapers are not viewed as being in the same relevant product market. Hence, their combinations under common ownership does not provide a basis for action or relief under these laws.
Consistent with this analysis, the Federal Trade Commission announced on April 6, 2000 that it was granting early termination to its review of the transaction, thereby signaling that neither it nor the United States Department of Justice intend to undertake enforcement efforts to challenge this acquisition.
Although the antitrust statutes are unavailing, I will nonetheless monitor the proceedings at the FCC to insure that the relevant interests of Connecticut citizens are protected. I hope and trust that you will as well, and that you will share with me additional facts or thoughts.
Should you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me or the head of my Antitrust Department, Steven M. Rutstein (860) 808-5540.
Very truly yours,
Richard Blumenthal
Attorney General
Editors Note: The above letter is in reponse to a letter written to Attorney General Blumentha by, BNH Publisher, Mitchell Young and Editor, Michael Bingham. The letter also was run as an editorial on April 17.
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