FTC Probes Nielsen / Arbitron Deal Further

The Federal Trade Commission has asked Nielsen for additional information regarding its proposed $1.3 billion takeover of radio ratings giant Arbitron, postponing a possible deal still further. Meanwhile Nielsen may also be looking to offload its trade show business.

The merger was first announced in December, but last month, the firms voluntarily agreed to provide the FTC with additional time to review the bid.

The FTC is now asking for additional information to enable it to consider the acquisition, and once it is in receipt of this documentation, will have 30 days to make a decision. Should Nielsen not receive regulatory approval, the company will be legally bound to pay Arbitron a $131m 'break-up' fee.

Speaking to Forbes magazine, Nielsen CFO Brian West (pictured) said: 'No mistake about it, Arbitron is a big deal for us. Our history has been a tuck-in acquisition strategy, two or three a year, you never break the bank. Adding capabilities or platforms that extend our current business model without going too far afield from what we do, and even Arbitron is in that same philosophy.'

Separately, The Wall Street Journal has reported that Nielsen has commissioned an investment bank to find a buyer for its trade show business, Nielsen Expositions, which could fetch up to $1 billion.

Web sites: www.nielsen.com and www.arbitron.com .