Fairfax Media Limited (Fairfax) made an application to the ACCC seeking informal clearance for its proposed acquisition of Rural Press. The ACCC concluded that the proposed acquisition was likely to raise substantial competition concerns in Newcastle, Maitland and the Lower Hunter Valley, particularly as regards to general retail display advertising in free community newspapers.
Fairfax has provided a court enforceable undertaking to the ACCC that it will sell The Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Post and The Hunter Post, including all the necessary assets required to operate such businesses as going concerns.
A public competition assessment has been issued in relation to the proposed acquisition.
