BERLIN, Sept 17 (Askume) – German broadcasters RTL and Paramount (PARA.O) have withdrawn their proposed merger between children’s television networks Super RTL and Nickelodeon, Germany’s cartel office said on Tuesday.
The office said it withdrew the decision after notifying the companies of its intention to ban the planned merger.
Super RTL, a unit of Bertelsmann’s RTL Group (AUDK.LU), said in April it had reached an agreement to acquire the German Nickelodeon chain.
Under the deal, Super RTL will receive a package of rights from Paramount Worldwide ‘s (PARA.O) Nickelodeon to include its television slate in current and upcoming series.
Nickelodeon’s popular series include “Paw Patrol” and “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
Andreas Mundt, head of Germany’s cartel office, said the main reason for his intention to ban the merger was the limited advertising space for children aged 3 to 13.
“Only a few companies offer advertising space specifically targeted to children, notably RTL and its associated TV shows,” he said.
The Cartel Office said that even if YouTube Kids is included in the analysis, Super RTL remains the main provider of this type of advertising and will increase significantly with the inclusion of Nickelodeon.
