On 30 October 2015, the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) approved an acquisition whereby Alma Media Corporation will gain control of Talentum Corporation.
Both parties to the acquisition are media groups which, among other things, publish newspapers and magazines in Finland and content through their digital services. Both parties also sell advertising space in their print media and through their digital services. Among other newspapers, Alma Media publishes Kauppalehti, Aamulehti and Iltalehti. Talentum´s best-known magazines include Talouselämä, Markkinointi & Mainonta, Tekniikka & Talous and Tivi.
The parties also operate in the job advertisement market. Alma Media advertises jobs both in its newspapers and through the digital service Monster.fi. Talentum advertises jobs in the printed supplement Uratie and through the digital service Uratie.fi.
According to an assessment by the FCCA, Alma Media´s and Talentum´s media products complement each other rather than mutually competing; sufficient alternative channels for readers, advertisers and recruiters advertising job vacancies will remain in the media market. The FCCA is thus of the view that the acquisition will not significantly impede effective competition in the Finnish market or a substantial part of it.
The Finnish Competition Authority (currently the FCCA) previously approved the acquisition between Alma Media Talentum in 2009, but at that time the arrangement was cancelled.
The FCCA´s decision includes the business secrets of the parties involved. The decision can only be published after the confidential information has been removed, which will take approximately two weeks.