Evil Empire: Now with More Scrubbing Bubbles

News to me: Rupert Murdoch's News America sells advertising and promotional display space at more than 35,000 U.S. retail stores and businesses. You can read the full story here (requires free registration).

Interesting to note:

Industry executives and financial reports indicate News America holds a roughly 90% market share of its in-store media categories.

Under the terms of the deals it has been selling, marketers pay News America for media and a minimum production expense for in-store ads across multiple four-week cycles whether or not they use the space or services, according to the documents. In weeks they choose not to use the space, competitors can be blocked from using it.

It doesn't end on store shelves, either. News America controls about 50% of the newspaper insert market, too. Yes, half the time -- you can thank Rupert Murdoch for all those coupons for bathroom cleaner in your Sunday newspaper. He works hard, so you don't have to...

Still - some folks like to work, especially the 4,000 folks at this Michigan-based company, which is Murdoch's biggest rival in the newspaper insert business.

Earlier this year, they filed a suit against Murdoch alleging "illegal and anti-competitive tactics." Shocker!

We'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out.

Wonder if Fox News will cover the story?

Posted January 30, 2006 07:57 AM