The Commerce Commission has cleared Bauer Media Group (NZ) LP (Bauer) to acquire all of the assets used by APN Specialist Publications NZ Limited (APNSP) in the publication of the New Zealand editions of the following magazines: New Zealand Woman’s Weekly; Simply You; Simply You Living; New Zealand Listener; and Crème.

The Commission considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on the production and supply of magazines, including the content of magazines and the sale of advertising.

The Commission is satisfied that the proposed acquisition will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in the supply of current affairs magazines, mass market weekly women’s magazines, women’s interest magazines and magazine advertising.

“The merged firm would continue to face competition from the suppliers of other magazine titles and alternative platforms, such as television, newspapers and the internet,” said Commerce Commission Chairman Dr Mark Berry.

A public version of the written reasons for the decision will be available shortly on the Commission’s Clearances Register.

Background

Bauer is part of an international magazine publishing group which operates in 16 countries. In New Zealand, Bauer publishes a number of magazine titles, including New Zealand Woman’s Day, Australian Women’s Weekly (New Zealand edition), NEXT, Metro, North & South and Fashion Quarterly. It also imports a number of titles from Australia, including Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Australian House and Garden.

APNSP, which is ultimately 100% owned by APN News & Media Limited, currently publishes eight magazine titles, including New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and New Zealand Listener. The company will continue post-acquisition to publish the New Zealand editions of three magazine titles (New Idea, That’s Life! and Girlfriend).