The Belgian DPG media group is close to receiving approval from the Dutch competition watchdog for the takeover of broadcaster RTL Nederland.According to the Financieele Dagblad, which has seen documents relating to the matter, the regulator has ‘come to the conclusion that the problems associated with the acquisition can be solved with a number of agreements’.According to the newspaper, DPG Media has promised that the websites and editors of RTL News and Nu.nl, which is also owned by DPG Media, will remain separate for the next ten years.DPG Media has offered to pay €1.1 billion for the business that includes five free-to-air TV channels (RTL 4, RTL 5, RTL 7, RTL 8 and RTL Z), three digital pay-TV channels (RTL Lounge, RTL Crime, RTL Telekids) and an independent news organisation. Also included is Videoland, the country’s top streaming service, with 1.3 million paying subscribers. DPG already owns VTM in Flanders and RTL Belgium in Wallonia.Earlier this week stakeholders including advertisers and other news groups were invited to a hearing on the acquisition.The ACM says it won’t be making a comment until a final decision has been made.Last year, ACM blocked the merger between Talpa and RTL Nederland.
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