DOJ Settles With Five TV Companies

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/236019/doj-settles-with-five-tv-companies/

The issue was over how sensitive information was handled.

The Department of Justice announced Monday that it has reached settlements with CBS Corp., Cox Enterprises, E.W. Scripps Co., Fox Corp. and Tegna Inc. to resolve a department lawsuit brought as part of its ongoing investigation into exchanges of competitively sensitive information in the broadcast television industry.

All five companies are alleged to have engaged in unlawful information sharing among their owned broadcast television stations. Cox also owns Cox Reps, one of two large rep firms in the industry that assist broadcast stations in sales to national advertisers. The rep firms are alleged to have participated in the unlawful information sharing conduct.




“The Antitrust Division’s efforts to protect competition in the television broadcast industry continue with today’s settlements that will stop the unlawful exchange of competitively sensitive information among rival broadcasters and their sales rep firms,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Vigorous competition among broadcast stations allows American businesses across the country to obtain competitive advertising rates. The unlawful sharing of information reduced that competition and thereby harmed businesses that rely on competitive rates to best serve their customers.”