Re: Libraries Urge Justice Departmen to Block Cinven and Candover Purchase of BertelsmannSpringer

["Sally Morris" <sec-gen@alpsp.org>]

I think we need to consider what the alternatives might have been.  They
had to be bought by somebody - the other contenders were all other
large(ish) publishers.  The evidence quoted suggests that all mergers tend
to lead to higher prices - so this would have been equally likely whatever
the outcome.

So is it better for a new player to come into the game, or not?  And is it
better that the resultant company should potentially provide more or less
effective competition to the largest player?

That a merger of some kind was inevitable is not in doubt.

Sally Morris, Secretary-General
Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
South House, The Street, Clapham, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 3UU, UK

Phone:  01903 871686 Fax:  01903 871457 E-mail:  sec-gen@alpsp.org
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