Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE  
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel,   BELGIË  
 
Tel: +32 229 -91111. Fax: +32 229 -64301. E -mail: COMP -MERGER -REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels, 30.4.2021  
C(2021 ) 3232 final  
PUBLIC VERSION  
British Broadcasting Corporation  
201 Wood Lane, White City  
W12 7TS -  London  
United Kingdom  
 
Channel Four Television Corporation  
124 Horseferry Road  
SW1P 2TX - London  
United Kingdom  
 
ITV Network Limited  
2 Waterhouse Square, 140 Holborn  
EC1N 2AE - London  
United Kingdom  
Subject : Case M.10187 -BBC / ITV / CHANNEL 4 / FREESAT  
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation 
(EC) No 139/20041 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European 
Economic Area2  
Dear Sir or Madam,  
1. On 8 April 2021 , the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger  Regulation by which  The British 
Broadcasting Corpo ration (United Kingdom), ITV Network Limited  (United 
Kingdom) and Channel 4 Television Corporation (United Kingdom ) acquire within 
the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and Article 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control 
over the whole of  Freesat  Limited (Un ited Kingdom)  by way of purchase of shares .3 
                                                 
1 OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ( the ‘Merger Regulation ’). With effect from 1 December 2009,  the Treaty on 
the Functioning of the European Union ( ‘TFEU’) has introduced certain changes, such as the 
replacement of ‘Community ’ by ‘Union’ and ‘common market ’ by ‘internal market ’. The terminology 
of the TFEU will b e used throughout this decision.  
2  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p.  3 (the ‘EEA Agreement ’). 
3  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C143, 23.04.2021, p12 . 

2 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:  
 for BBC: public sector broadcaster providing a wide range of TV and radio 
channels as well as iPlayer and other on -demand services which are accessible to 
licence fee payers throughout the UK through a v ariety of platforms and devices,  
 for ITV: integrated producer broadcaster, creates, owns and distributes high -
quality content on multiple platforms globally. It broadcasts a large portfolio of 
commercial c hannels including the main ITV channel,  
 for Channel 4: publicly -owned and commercially -funded UK public service 
broadcaster which operates a portfolio of channels accessible on a free to view 
basis via a variety of platforms and devices,  
 for Freesat: joint  venture between the BBC and ITV which provides a satellite 
broadcasting platform to c. 1.1 million homes (free to view linear TV and on 
demand content over satellite, as well as paid for on demand content). It also 
provides technical and consultancy suppo rt to a small number of international 
customers to whom it licences certain technology and knowhow associated with 
free to view TV services.  
3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that 
the notified operation falls with in the scope of the Merger  Regulation  and of 
paragraph 5(b) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of 
certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .4 
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedu re, the European 
Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it 
compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is 
adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger  Regulation  and Article 5 7 of 
the EEA Agreement . 
For the Commission  
 
 
(Signed)  
Olivier GUERSENT  
Director -General  
                                                 
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .