The Bookseller - News - DoJ says PRH and S&S merger will create duopoly as trial over $2.2bn deal concludes

On the final day of a three-week trial in Washington DC on 19th August, lawyers for PRH and S&S defended the merger, arguing it would actually increase competition and claiming the US government had not proved it would create significant harm. Both sides will now present post-trial briefs before Judge Florence Pan makes a final verdict later this year on whether the merger should be blocked.

Presenting his closing argument, Department of Justice attorney John Read said the merger would reduce the number of players in the market and "exacerbate the risk of co-ordination". According to Publishers WeeklyInternational news website of book publishing and bookselling including business news, reviews, bestseller lists, commentaries http://www.publishersweekly.com/, he said: "This merger will end that competition which benefits authors, and authors will earn less money for what they write."