French regional publisher L'Est Republicain is to purchase, for approximately 300 million euros, a group of Lyon newspapers (Le Progrès, Le Bien Public and Le Dauphiné Libéré) owned by Socpresse. This move will make L'Est Republicain France's biggest regional publisher and a major European publisher.

Regional publishing in France will thus be concentrated amongst four players: L'Est Republicain, Ouest France, Sud Ouest and a planned joint venture between Le Monde and Hachette.

Source: ANIMA newsletter (www.animagency.com)