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Section 1

Introduction

1.1 Ofcom is today announcing the conclusions of its statutory assessments in relation to the acquisition by Emap plc of SRH plc.

1.2 Under the Communications Act and other legislation Ofcom has a number of specific functions in relation to radio acquisitions. These are:

• to determine whether or not any local analogue licences would be subject to a change of control as a result of the acquisition and to carry out a review of any such licences that would change control;
• to apply the radio ownership rules; and
• to carry out a public interest test if required to do so by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in an intervention notice.

1.3 The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is responsible for competition assessment of the acquisition under the Enterprise Act 2002. The OFT will announce its conclusions on the matter today.

Section 2

Summary of conclusions

• Ofcom has determined that no changes are required to any of SRH’s 21 local analogue licences in order to protect the provision of services following the acquisition.
• Ofcom has concluded that if the acquisition went ahead as currently envisaged the ownership rules would be breached in respect of local digital multiplexes and local digital sound programme services.
• The rules on ownership of local digital multiplexes would be breached in respect of the Ayr and Glasgow local multiplex licences, requiring divestment of control of one of these two multiplexes; and
• The rules on the provision of local digital sound programme services (DSPS) would be breached on the Aberdeen, Ayr and Dundee & Perth multiplexes.

Details of these conclusions are set out below.

• Acquisition by Emap plc of Scottish Radio Holdings plc: Ofcom’s statutory assessments [pdf]
• Ofcom control determination in relation to the Ayr multiplex [pdf]
  Published 27 June 2006

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