Ticketmaster, Live Nation merger The Justice Department approved the merger but included with it many conditions, such as making Ticketmaster "license its ticketing software to competitor ... Settlement clears Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger Comcast-Spectactor, an arena-management firm jointly owned by Comcast Corp. and Ed Snider, will purchase a ticketing-software business from Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. as part of a government settlement that clears the way for the proposed merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation Inc.The government said today that Ticketmaster, which sells more than 100 million tickets a year, has to license its primary ticketing software to AEG, the nation's second-largest concert promoter. The settlement was announced in Washington by the Department of Justice. A merger would combine Ticketmaster with Live Nation, a concert promoter with Madonna, Shakira, and other artists under talent contract... Wall Street is betting on the merger going through ... Justice (DOJ) reportedly close to a decision on the deal, at least one Wall Street firm is betting that the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger will happen. ... Jim DeRogatis The controversial merger of two of the least-consumer-friendly entertainment companies in America -- the giant national concert promoter Live Nation and the monopolistic ticket broker Ticketmaster -- was first announced last February, but it could not move forward until approved by the U.S. Justice Department. As the months dragged on and Justice maintained a stony silence on its approval process, one could be lulled into thinking that the whole thing might just go away -- one possible good outcome from a very, very bad economy. But no such luck.The merger was approved late last year in the U.K. And today comes rumblings from Wall Street that it may soon get the O.K. on these... Fighting the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger For anyone that's concerned that the proposed merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation (two of the hugest companies selling concert tix in the States) might ... Ticketmaster / Live Nation merger Roughly a month after its launch, TicketDisaster.org has helped to generate about 25000 emails to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) ... Venue operators and concert promoters join the opposition In an email being circulated to fans and throughout the live entertainment industry, titled "Concert Fans Beware!", the group of venue operators and promoters urge people and fellow industry members to oppose the proposed deal because it could severely the concert landscape. "There's a train wreck about to happen and consumer groups say YOU will be the victim - if the two most powerful corporate interests in the live concert business get their way. But you can help stop the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The government needs to hear from music fans now. Tell the Department of Justice that you're against these monopolies amassing illegal power over consumers, before it's too l... Events To Watch In Early 2010 In ticketing and promotion, the Department of Justice's decision on the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger will help decide the shape of the next decade. ...

CCIA Weighs In On Ticketmaster-Live Nation Merger The proposed Ticketmaster Live Nation merger should not be approved without conditions to protect competition in the primary and secondary markets for live event ticketing, Computer & Communications Industry Association President & CEO Ed Black said in a letter to Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney yesterday. Contrasting the highly competitive markets of e-commerce with the highly consolidated markets for live event ticketing, Black urged the Department of Justice to at a minimum impose conditions on the transaction. He said these conditions are needed to prevent the merged entity from using their ticket monopoly to charge any surcharge they want when someone buys a ticket...

First Avenue opposes Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger on anti-trust grounds Consumer groups say the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger will create an entity that will have impact in every segment of the concert business. ...