The UK OFT announces its intention to review contract rights renewal undertakings (ITV)

Four years after the merger of the UK's two main ITV companies, Carlton and Granada, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced its intention to review the contract rights renewal (CRR) undertakings which were accepted as part of the conditional clearance of the deal by the Competition Commission (CC) [1]. The review is expected to start in January 2008, and will be conducted in conjunction with Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator. Why was the CRR remedy put in place ? The proposed merger of Carlton Communications Plc and Granada plc was referred to the CC for a Phase II investigation in March 2003. Whilst it was acknowledged that the merger would enable the parties to combine their strengths, which would in turn operate to deliver important benefits for the public, the CC found