Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd

Case:

The ACCC expressed concern that Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd has a substantial degree of power in the Queensland markets for newspaper advertising and/or newspaper classified advertising, and having refused supply, may have contravened section 46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

Keywords:

Market power, trade practices, undertaking

Reference:

Undertaking date 5th December 2002

Industry:

Newspaper publishing

Relevant laws:

Section 46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974

Summary:

Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd provided court-enforceable undertakings to the ACCC to allow Internet advertising in the classified sections of its newspapers.

Complaints were made to the ACCC that a number of internet businesses could not advertise in the classified sections of Queensland Newspapers, including The Courier Mail.

The ACCC expressed concern that Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd has a substantial degree of power in the Queensland markets for newspaper advertising and/or newspaper classified advertising, and having refused supply, may have contravened section 46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

The Commission received complaints that a number of internet businesses could not advertise in the classified sections of the Queensland Newspapers' papers including The Courier Mail.

Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd has given undertakings to the Commission that:

• it will establish a separate classified advertisement category entitled "Internet Classified Services" for the general and lift out sections of its newspapers;
• within the general part of the newspaper, the new category will be published next to classified advertisements in the "Internet Services" category on days when advertisements are published;
• advertisements for a specific good, service or opportunity that contains a URL/email address that is less than 25% of the total lineageof the advertisement will be permitted in the specific good, service or opportunity classified column;
• advertisements that contain a URL/email address that is greater than 25% of the total lineage of the advertisement may be placed in the general or business pages of the paper;
• the Internet Classified Services category will also be placed in lift outs such as the real estate or motoring lift outs and can include display advertising.

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