NZME Ltd v Commerce Commission - [2018] 3 NZLR 715

Competition law — Authorisation application — Merger proposal — News media — Benefit to public — Whether likely public benefits would outweigh likely adverse effects of merger — Effect on quality — Media plurality — Efficiency gains from merger — Whether non-economic factors able to be taken into account — Balancing exercise — Assessment of “likely” benefits or detriments — Balancing of unquantifiable detriments against net quantified benefits of transaction — Risk of single owner exploiting merged entity for political purposes — Whether risk too unlikely to be considered — Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth).