The EU Commission clears a merger in the entertainment industry (Vivendi / Seagram)

"The Commission's review of the media merger wave"* The media industry involves a wide and diversified set of activities vertically related. Indeed, different players such as content providers, rights holders and content distributors all operate in the value chain from the production of content such as films, TV programming, or music, to its delivery via theatres, TV channels and today the Internet. A brief market overview suggests a strategy of integration of some by the most dynamic players of the media and the Internet sectors. Indeed, from April to October 2000, the Commission has had the opportunity to examine three such concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation. On 28 April, the Commission received a notification of a proposed merger between two US firms America Online Inc