Britain's Office of Fair Trading has ordered newspaper groups Johnston Press and Local Press to address its concerns about farming publications in order to avoid a referral to the Competition Commission..
Johnston last year agreed to buy Local Press, which publishes 12 titles in Northern Ireland and the Republic, for £65m.
The OFT said it had not decided not to refer the deal provided the parties gave undertakings on their Northern Ireland farming titles. A statement said the companies had offered to sell off the Farm Week title and the OFT was considering whether or not to accept this.
