Memorandum submitted by Whatsonwhen Ltd
I am writing on behalf of Whatsonwhen Ltd, a
company of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Whatsonwhen provide travel guide content via
our website and our core business is to syndicate our content
to the global online travel business. Our clients range from UK
specific (Lastminute.com, British Airways) to European (Eurostar)
and global (Hilton Hotels).
Lonely Planet (LP) is a direct competitor of
Whatsonwhen both in terms of web traffic to their B2C site and
also in the syndication market.
I am concerned that development of the online
capabilities of LP utilising the BBC digital platform will give
a direct competitive advantage to LP in this market.
I am also concerned that the archive of BBC
travel content is being made available to LP for distribution
through magazines and their website.
Is the BBC content also being offered to the
general market on the same terms? We are also concerned that the
BBC, both in the UK and Worldwide, will be able to deliver promotional,
marketing and distribution to the LP products both in print and
online which will again give LP an unfair competitive advantage.
I understand that one of the remits is to "avoid
distorting the market". We believe that the BBC's development
of LP as outline above is likely to distort the market unless
the BBC is prepared to offer the same or similar terms to the
general market.
Please can you confirm what policies are in
place to ensure that LP does not gain an unfair competitive advantage
as a result of its acquisition by the BBC.
October 2008
| 
