Guardian sell up radio stations; rivals livid

The Guardian Media Group has flogged off its radio arm to Global Radio, prompting much unhappiness amongst other radio groups:

UTV Media is also "seeking urgent clarification" as to how Global Radio can claim to be holding GMG Radio as a separate business during the regulatory scrutiny period, while it has brought in two senior executives to run its new acquisition following the departure of chief executive Stuart Taylor.
[...]
A spokesman for Bauer Media said the deal will "permanently lessen" choice for radio advertisers.

"Bauer Media believes the merger of Global and GMG Radio will be fully investigated by the competition authorities as this combination will increase the dominant market position that Global already has in local and national markets and permanently lessen choice for radio advertisers," he said. "We have no further comment to make at this time."

It's not so much that UTV Radio or Bauer are particularly exercised by plurality of ownership or actual choice:

UTV Media and Bauer Radio are understood to have submitted unsuccessful bids to buy GMG Radio

So it's more foot-stomping at the reduction of choice not resulting in the increase of their market share, then.