The U.S. Justice Department Wants to Strike Down a Major Movie Advertising Merger

Antitrust lawsuit claims this union is bad for everyone

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If this were a preshow at the movies, it would be time to get more popcorn.

According to the AP's Big Story, the U.S. Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit to halt the cinema advertising behemoth National CineMedia Inc.'s acquisition of its nearest rival, Screenvision LLC. The complaint said the proposed merger would come at the expense of movie theaters, advertisers and audiences.

The $375 million cash-and-stock deal was announced in May at about the same time National CineMedia unveiled a number of initiatives aimed at expanding its reach beyond the big screen.

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