Sky applies for clearance to acquire Prime TV

Media Release

_Issued 30 November 2005/072

Sky applies for clearance to acquire Prime Television

The Commerce Commission has received an application from Sky Network Television Limited seeking clearance to acquire the television broadcasting business of Prime Television New Zealand Limited (Prime).

Sky is a publicly-listed company on both the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges and has been broadcasting pay television services in New Zealand since 1990. Sky broadcasts on both a digital satellite format and an analogue UHF format, and currently has approximately 600,000 subscribers.

Prime is owned by the Australian-based Prime Television Limited, which also operates 12 television broadcasting stations in Australia. Prime has been broadcasting free-to-air television services in New Zealand since 1998.

In considering the application, the Commission’s role is to determine whether the acquisition has the effect of substantially lessening competition in a market.

A public version of the application will shortly be available on the Commission’s website http://www.comcom.govt.nz under Public Registers.

ENDS

© Scoop Media