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WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge cited negative impacts on top-selling authors in blocking a planned $2.2 billion merger of Penguin Random House, the world's largest book publisher, and rival Simon & Schuster, according to a written opinion released Monday. Penguin is owned by German media group Bertelsmann SE & Co (BTGGg.F) while Paramount Global (PARA.O) owns Simon & Schuster. Pan said those best-selling authors "have fewer outlets that can satisfy their requirements, and therefore are vulnerable to anticompetitive behavior." Penguin writers include cookbook author Ina Garten and novelists Zadie Smith and Danielle Steele, while Simon & Schuster publishes Stephen King, Jennifer Weiner and Hillary Rodham Clinton, among others. The top five publishers are Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster and Hachette, with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) also in the market.

☆ Penguin Seeks Simon & Schuster’s Support to Fight for Imperiled Book Merger
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Jessica Toonkel | Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Penguin Random House said it would request an expedited appeal of a judge’s ruling blocking a merger with Simon & Schuster. Book-publishing giant Penguin Random House wants to appeal a federal judge’s decision blocking its acquisition of Simon & Schuster, but the first step is to ensure its would-be deal partner stays in the legal fight. Penguin parent Bertelsmann SE has had talks with Simon & Schuster owner Paramount Global about offering inducements, including cash, that would lead Paramount to support an appeal and continue pursuing the transaction, according to people familiar with the situation.

☆ Bertelsmann: plans to appeal ruling on Penguin Random House book merger
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BERLIN, Nov 1 (Reuters) - German media group Bertelsmann SE & Co (BTGGg.F), owner of Penguin Random House, said on Tuesday it would appeal a ruling by a U.S. court against a planned merger of Penguin and rival Simon & Schuster. "A merger would be good for competition," said Bertelsmann Chief Executive Thomas Rabe in a statement, adding: "We will be filing a motion to appeal with the D.C. Court of Appeals." Writing by Miranda Murray, editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Stephen King makes for unlikely antitrust hero
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A U.S. judge blocked Penguin Random House’s $2.2 billion acquisition of rival Simon & Schuster on Monday after the Department of Justice argued it would unfairly limit pay for top authors such as Stephen King. Adding Simon & Schuster would give it 70% of the literary nonfiction market, according to NPD Book Scan. The Department of Justice drew a line in its challenge to Penguin, distinguishing highly paid writers from the rest. Follow @jennifersaba on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSA U.S. judge on Oct. 31 ruled that a planned $2.2 billion merger of Penguin Random House and rival Simon & Schuster cannot go forward. German media group Bertelsmann, the owner of Penguin, agreed to buy Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global in 2020.

☆ Judge blocks Penguin Random House’s purchase of Simon & Schuster
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Cnn Business Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN Business —A federal judge blocked Penguin Random House from buying Simon & Schuster, arguing that the combination of the two book business giants would illegally reduce competition. The ruling, most of which remained confidential, comes nearly a year after the Justice Department sued to block the deal. US District Court Judge Florence Pan agreed with the Biden administration that the deal should not be allowed to go forward. Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster are two members of the “Big Five,” the industry’s term for the five biggest publishers in the United States. Simon & Schuster’s parent, Paramount, and Penguin Random House, a subsidiary of German media giant Bertelsmann, announced the $2.175 billion deal in November 2020.

WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - A planned $2.2 billion merger of Penguin Random House, the world's largest book publisher, and rival Simon & Schuster cannot go forward, a U.S. judge ruled on Monday. Unlike most merger fights, which are focused on what consumers pay, this one focused on authors' earnings. Penguin writers include cookbook author Ina Garten and novelists Zadie Smith and Danielle Steele, while Simon & Schuster publishes Stephen King, Jennifer Weiner and Hillary Rodham Clinton, among others. Penguin is owned by German media group Bertelsmann SE & Co (BTGGg.F) while Paramount Global (PARA.O) owns Simon & Schuster. The top five publishers are Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster and Hachette, with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) also in the market.

☆ ITV explores options for its production arm, including sale, Financial Times reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 16 (Reuters) - British commercial broadcaster ITV (ITV.L) is reviewing the future of its production arm ITV studios, including whether to sell a stake, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. Britain's biggest free-to-air commercial broadcaster has recently fielded expressions of interest in ITV Studios, the report said citing people familiar with the discussions. Potential buyers include private equity groups and other large independent producers such as Bertelsmann's Freemantle or FL Entertainment, the parent company of Banijay, the newspaper added. An ITV spokesperson declined to comment on the FT report. ($1 = 0.8953 pounds)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China battery maker debut is weaker than it looks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Oct 6 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Shares of China’s CALB (3931.HK), which makes lithium batteries for electric cars, debuted flat following its $1.3 billion initial public offering. After pricing at the bottom of the range, cornerstone investors ended up with half of CALB’s total offering. One of the company’s suppliers, Tianqi Lithium (002466.SZ), bought into the deal too, reciprocating CALB’s investment in its own Hong Kong listing back in July. (By Katrina Hamlin)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFollow @Breakingviews on Twitter(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Mizuho’s fintech punt would overdo optimism
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

First, it values Rakuten Securities at an eye-popping 52 times earnings, based on annualised net profit for the six months to end of June. Listed rival Monex (8698.T) only trades at around 13 times earnings, despite sporting a 22% operating margin, better than Rakuten Securities’ 13%. Second, Mizuho’s largesse will benefit parent Rakuten, the Japanese word for optimism. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSure, Rakuten Securities has rarity value, not least for banks with less of an online presence. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Courbit-led group offers 20 euros a share for M6 stake - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: A view shows French television group M6 headquarters in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, France, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo(Reuters) - French media mogul Stephane Courbit and his investor partners are said to have offered 20 euros ($19) a share for Bertelsmann SE & Co.’s stake in television company Groupe M6, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday. The offer is a 39% premium to Friday’s closing price of 14.43 euros per share, and values the 48% stake around 1.22 billion euros. Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky also made an offer for the stake, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter. In March 2021, when Bertelsmann confirmed talks to sell its stake, French media reported that RTL’s stake was worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.48 billion), valuing all of M6 at about 3 billion euros.

☆ Courbit-led group offers 20 euros a share for M6 stake, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterA view shows French television group M6 headquarters in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, France, May 21, 2021. The offer is a 39% premium to Friday's closing price of 14.43 euros per share, and values the 48% stake around 1.22 billion euros. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReuters could not immediately reach Courbit for comment. In March 2021, when Bertelsmann confirmed talks to sell its stake, French media reported that RTL's stake was worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.48 billion), valuing all of M6 at about 3 billion euros. ($1 = 1.0320 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ MFE teams up with French partner to bid for TV company M6
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterA view shows French television group M6 headquarters in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, France, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Sarah MeyssonnierMILAN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Italian broadcaster MediaForEurope (MFEB.MI) has submitted a non-binding offer for a controlling stake in French TV company M6 (MMTP.PA), two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. Milan-listed MFE, owned by the family for former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, has teamed up with a French industrial partner which is not currently present in the TV sector, the sources said, without elaborating. Initial offers for RTL's 48.3% stake in M6 were expected by Friday afternoon after a planned tie-up between the company and fellow French broadcaster TF1 collapsed last week. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Elvira Pollina, editing by Silvia AloisiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BERLIN/FRANKFURT, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Initial offers for RTL's 48% stake in French TV channel M6 are expected by Friday after a failed tie-up with France's TF1 broadcaster, a person familiar with the matter said. RTL has been "inundated" with expressions of interest in the M6 stake since TF1 and M6 called off their planned merger last week, its boss Thomas Rabe told the Financial Times on Thursday. Other potential buyers include French media group Vivendi (VIV.PA) and Altice, owned by billionaire Patrick Drahi, alongside Italian media conglomerate MediaForEurope (MFE), Reuters reported on Monday. If RTL wants to sell M6, a deal must be completed by spring 2023, because M6's broadcasting license comes up for renewal in May. In March 2021, when Bertelsmann confirmed talks to sell its stake, French media reported the RTL's stake was worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.48 billion), valuing all of M6 at around 3 billion euros.

PARIS/MILAN, Sept 19 (Reuters) - The collapse of a deal to form a French TV giant to challenge U.S. streaming services such as Netflix (NFLX.O) knocked shares in M6 Group (MMTP.PA) and TF1 (TFFP.PA) on Monday. France's two biggest private broadcasters gave up their merger plan on Friday citing French antitrust requirements that rendered the deal unworkable. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"It is extremely disappointing, it shows the incapacity in France of pushing a unifying project to create a French media champion," said Mikael Jacoby, head of continental trading at Oddo Securities. At 1424 GMT, TF1 shares were down 3.3% and shares in M6 were 3% lower. "Hedge funds don't want exposure to the advertising sector, people are very worried about next year," a merger arbitrage analyst said.

☆ Noutățile Editurii Cartier pentru luna iunie. Cu ce cărți îți poți îmbogăți biblioteca
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-23 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +5 min

La acest sfârșit de iunie, editura Cartier a publicat o listă de cărți care vă pot fi curioase și cu siguranță, vă pot îmbogăți biblioteca proprie. Răgazul pe care pare că și-l acordă este al unui om care regândește continuu lumea pentru a o recompune ca sens. Preț: 5.99 USD„Internat este una dintre cele mai impresionante și mai grăitoare cărți despre războiul din Donbas. Preț: 5.99 USD„Jadan este un scriitor unic, apropiat de mase și, în același timp, îndrăgit de intelectuali. Preț: 5,99 USDUna dintre cele mai polemice cărți ale secolului XXI.

Persons: Arthur Suciu, Mircea Platon, Margareta, Dumitru, Crudu, El, Vasile, Johann Holtrop, Victor, Richard Kämmerlings, Julia Encke, Vladimir Beșleagă, Vasile Vasilache, Volodimir, Liza, Iuri Anduhovîci, Philippe Muray, Élisabeth Lévy Organizations: Cartier, WELT Locations: Rotonda, României, Donbas, Jadan, balaganul, Skovoroda, România, Republica Moldova

☆ В Германии объяснили, почему в Украине и Молдове хромает правосудие
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-06 | by ( Super User | ) mybusiness.md time to read: +8 min

Отправной точкой для изучения ситуации в Молдове авторы избрали 2009 год, когда к власти в Кишиневе пришла коалиция, назвавшая себя проевропейской. Почему антикоррупционных органов в Украине недостаточноСитуацию в Украине для Фонда Бертельсмана анализировал Джон Лоу, эксперт британского аналитического центра Chatham House. Одной из "серьезных ошибок" западных советников в Украине Лоу называет то, что судебная реформа была поручена "нерефомированным судебным элитам, у которых не было опыта работы в демократической стране". Авторы исследования хвалят гражданское общество в Украине, которое продвигает реформы, но констатируют, что и ему не удалось избежать ошибок. Кроме того, продолжает Русу, Молдове не удалось добиться поставленных целей в силу целого ряда причин, например, из-за "дыр" в законодательстве.

Persons: Miriam Kosmehl, Бертельсман, Мириам Космель, Космель, Джон Лоу, Лоу, Юлиан Русу, Русу Organizations: Bertelsmann Stiftung, Transparency, Chatham House, Немецкий фонд Бертельсмана ( ), Фонд Бертельсмана, Конституционный суд, Национальное антикоррупционное бюро (НАБУ), Специальная антикоррупционная прокуратура (САП), Институт европейской политики и реформ Locations: Украина, Молдова, Запад, Европейский Союз, Южный Кавказ, Восточная Европа, Кишинев, Киев, Балтия, Евросоюз, Брюссель, ЕС, Великобритания, властиВ, Молдове, Восточное партнерство

☆ Sondaj: Donald Trump nu ar avea...
▼ + stars: | 2020-10-28 | by ( ) www.realitatea.md time to read: +1 min

Dacă preşedintele Statelor Unite, Donald Trump, ar încerca să fie reales într-o ţară din Uniunea Europeană, nu ar avea aproape nicio şansă, arată un sondaj publicat miercuri de cercetători din Germania. Rezultatele diferă de la o ţară la alta. Polonia este singura unde Trump ar fi votat de mai mulţi alegători decât Biden - cei doi ar obţine 38%, respectiv 30%. „Patru ani de guvernare a lui Trump au lăsat urme asupra cetăţenilor UE. Aceştia recunosc importanţa relaţiei transatlantice, dar sunt categorici în aprecierea a ceea ce o menţine”, a declarat Hoffmann.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Biden, Isabell Hoffmann, Hoffmann . Organizations: Uniunea Europeană, Albă, Agerpres, Totuşi, Uniunii Europene, Dacă preşedintele Statelor Unite, Donald Trump Locations: Statelor Unite, Germania, Polonia, SUA, toţi, Statele Unite, China, UE

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