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Are Media Markets Analyzed as Two-Sided Markets?

By  |  April 19, 2007

John Wotton, Apr 19, 2007

This paper sets out to describe how, in practice, the U.K. competition authorities analyze competition in those markets in the media sector, which may have the characteristics of two-sided markets. The typical characteristics of media markets are described and several decisions in the media sector, taken over a period of a number of years, are analyzed. Conclusions are then drawn on the extent to which the two-sided characteristics of the relevant markets have been taken into account. The cases that are analyzed have been chosen because they are considered to be of some importance in the context of the subject under consideration and do not represent a comprehensive list of media cases decided by the U.K. competition authorities over any particular period. The author advised principal parties in a number of these cases. The information contained in this paper is, however, taken from public sources and the views expressed are those of the author alone.

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