Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110

§1803 Antitrust Exemptions

Title 15 › CHAPTER 43 — NEWSPAPER PRESERVATION › § 1803

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets people keep shared business agreements between newspapers made before July 24, 1970 without breaking antitrust laws, as long as when the deal was first made no more than one of the papers was likely to be financially healthy. If those old deals are renewed or changed, the new terms must be filed with the Department of Justice and the change cannot add another newspaper. Any new shared newspaper deal not already in place must have written permission from the U.S. Attorney General first. The Attorney General will approve only if not more than one paper in the deal is a healthy paper and the deal fits the law’s goals. The law does not protect unfair or predatory business practices; those remain illegal.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §1803

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Joint operating arrangements entered into prior to July 24, 1970

It shall not be unlawful under any antitrust law for any person to perform, enforce, renew, or amend any joint newspaper operating arrangement entered into prior to July 24, 1970, if at the time at which such arrangement was first entered into, regardless of ownership or affiliations, not more than one of the newspaper publications involved in the performance of such arrangement was likely to remain or become a financially sound publication: Provided, That the terms of a renewal or amendment to a joint operating arrangement must be filed with the Department of Justice and that the amendment does not add a newspaper publication or newspaper publications to such arrangement.

(b)Written consent for future joint operating arrangements

It shall be unlawful for any person to enter into, perform, or enforce a joint operating arrangement, not already in effect, except with the prior written consent of the Attorney General of the United States. Prior to granting such approval, the Attorney General shall determine that not more than one of the newspaper publications involved in the arrangement is a publication other than a failing newspaper, and that approval of such arrangement would effectuate the policy and purpose of this chapter.

(c)Predatory practices not exempt

Nothing contained in the chapter shall be construed to exempt from any antitrust law any predatory pricing, any predatory practice, or any other conduct in the otherwise lawful operations of a joint newspaper operating arrangement which would be unlawful under any antitrust law if engaged in by a single entity. Except as provided in this chapter, no joint newspaper operating arrangement or any party thereto shall be exempt from any antitrust law.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 1803

Title 15, Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110