DOJ Blocks Bertelsmann Merger with Simon & Schuster in Win for Authors, Readers, Editors, and Publishers

WASHINGTON – Moments ago, the Justice Department filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to block the proposed merger between Penguin Random House, a subsidiary of Bertelsmann, and Simon & Schuster.

In response, Open Markets Institute Executive Director Barry Lynn issued the following statement:

“The Justice Department today served notice that it is back in the business of protecting democracy and freedom of expression from concentrated private power.

“The DOJ’s decision to block the proposed takeover by the Bertelsmann corporation of the book publisher Simon & Schuster is a huge win for authors, readers, editors, publishers, and the American people as a whole. It is one of the first steps towards restoring an open and competitive marketplace of ideas in our nation, and to taking on monopolists that pose such a direct and growing threat to our fundamental liberties and our ability to communicate freely with one another.

“Now, the logical next step is to take on Amazon’s dangerous and destructive concentration of control over – and exploitation of – America’s book publishing industry. Open Markets applauds the law enforcers at the DOJ. Their actions will long be remembered.”

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Previously, Open Markets called on the DOJ to challenge the merger and protect America’s already-too-concentrated book publishing industry.

Open Markets also joined with the Authors Guild, and six other writers associations representing thousands of book authors in sending a letter to the DOJ urging them to block the merger. Read the full letter here.