UK: Ofcom rules out UKTV probe

Ofcom says it won’t be running a formal competition assessment of the deal between BBC Studios and Discovery on UKTV.

In April, BBC Studios and Discovery announced an agreement that would split the UKTV portfolio.

Discovery takes full control of lifestyle channels Good Food, Home and Really while the BBC Studios acquires the remaining seven channels – Alibi, Dave, Drama, Eden, Gold, Yesterday and W – along with digital player UKTV Play, and the UKTV brand. BBC Studios will make payments totalling £173 million to Discovery.

“Having considered the deal, we think that our existing trading and separation regulation sufficiently?safeguards?against?any potential competition risks. So we have decided not to conduct a formal competition assessment,” the regulator said in a statement.