OFT looks at Trinity Mirror's GMG Regional Media deal
The Office of Fair Trading is considering whether Trinity Mirror's purchase of GMG Regional Media will result in a "substantial lessening of the competition" in the regional newspaper market.
It was announced last week that Trinity Mirror had struck a deal worth £44.8m to buy GMG's regional portfolio of 32 newspapers, though not Manchester television station Channel M.
The deal is due to be concluded by 28 March, but in a statement to the stock exchange, the OFT said it was considering whether it "will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation" leading to "a substantial lessening of competition" in the newspaper market.
If that is deemed to be the case the deal would be referred to Competition Commission for investigation and report.
Parties wishing to contribute need to send written representations to the OFT by March 3.
Trinity Mirror, which will acquire the Manchester Evening News as part of the deal, already publishes the Liverpool Post and Echo titles and stable of weekly papers across Cheshire and Merseyside.
It has agreed to pay just £7.4m for GMG's regional titles with the remaining £37.4m value of the deal accounting for a print contract that GMG has been released from by Trinity.