Commission Appoints Interim Monitor, Approves Interim Monitor Agreement in Matter of Reed Elsevier NV/ChoicePoint, Inc.

The Commission has appointed Mitchell S. Pettit as the interim monitor under the terms of the recently approved consent order concerning ChoicePoint, Inc.’s acquisition by Reed Elsevier, NV. The Commission also approved the interim monitor agreement in this matter. The Commission’s decision and consent order authorizes the FTC to appoint an interim monitor to oversee the divestiture of assets required in this matter. As the monitor appointed by the Commission, Pettit, the founder and CEO of MSP Strategic Communication, Inc., will perform his duties in accordance with the interim monitor agreement, which both ChoicePoint and Reed Elsevier have agreed to.

The vote to appoint the interim monitor and approve the interim monitor agreement was 4-0. A public version of the agreement can be found on the FTC’s Web site and as a link to this press release. (FTC File No. 081-0133; the staff contact is Anne R. Schenof, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2031; see press release dated September 16, 2008, at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/09/choicepoint.shtm).

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.

(FYI 60.2008.wpd)