Commentary on Sections Part 5: Competition in Communications Markets Chapter 2: Media mergers Section 378: Extension of special public interest regime for certain media mergers
819.This section amends section 59 EA 2002, which currently makes provision for the Secretary of State to intervene and serve a “special intervention notice” in relation to an exceptional category of mergers involving government defence contractors. These may be referred for investigation, on specified public interest grounds only, even though they do not meet the normal qualifying thresholds (i.e. 25% share of supply or UK turnover of the company being acquired exceeds £70 million, as set out in section 23 EA 2002).
820.Subsection (1) replaces sections 59(3) and (4) EA 2002 with new sections 59(3) to (3D). These incorporate the existing criteria set out in section 59 EA 2002 for establishing a “special merger situation” in cases involving government defence contractors, together with new provisions providing that a special merger situation also arises where:
	all of the criteria for a relevant merger situation within section 23 EA 2002 have been met except for the share of supply or turnover thresholds in sections 23(1)(b) and (2)(b) EA 2002 – that is, where two or more enterprises have ceased to be distinct within the relevant time limits (see sections 24-27 EA 2002); and
	at least 25% of the supply of newspapers of any description in the UK, or in a substantial part of the UK, was supplied by persons carrying on one of the enterprises concerned in the merger (unlike the general jurisdiction test in section 23(2)-(4) EA 2002, there is no requirement that the share of supply is created or enhanced by the merger); or
	at least 25% of the provision of broadcasting of any description, provided in the UK or a substantial part of the UK was provided by the person who carried on one of the enterprises involved in the merger. (As in the case of extended jurisdiction for newspapers, there is no requirement that this 25% share is created or enhanced).
821.Intervention in relation to cases that fall within the special public interest regime is limited to the public interest grounds specified in section 58 EA 2002. They cannot be scrutinised on competition grounds.
822.Subsection (2) inserts new subsection (6A) in section 59 EA 2002. Subsection (6A) gives the Secretary of State a power to amend the share of supply conditions relating to the broadcasting and newspaper extended jurisdiction. In particular, this will ensure that in the event that the Secretary of State exercises her powers in section 123 EA 2002 in order to amend the share of supply test in section 23 EA 2002, the changes can be carried across to section 59 EA 2002, such that the share of supply test remains consistent throughout Part 3 EA 2002.
823.Subsection (3) inserts new section 59A into the EA 2002. This replicates for the new newspaper and broadcasting share of supply provisions in the special public interest regime the provisions on the calculation of share of supply already included for the standard regime in section 23 EA 2002. New section 59A(1) makes it clear that, for the purposes of applying the newspaper share of supply test in new section 59(3C) or the broadcasting share of supply test in section 59(3D) the authorities can apply such criteria (such as value, cost, quantity etc.) as they consider appropriate to determine whether the 25% threshold is satisfied. New section 59A(2) allows the authorities to consider whether goods or services taken on their own, or with others or in groups, make up this proportion. Sections 59A(3), 59A(4) and 59A(5) give the competition authorities the discretion to decide when goods or services are the subject of different forms of supply.