Yellow Pages Cost Consultants v. GTE Directories Corp.

OPINION AND ORDER

Plaintiffs, Yellow Pages Cost Consultants, Media Masters, Inc., Tel-Ad Advis-ors, Inc., Southern Directory Consultants, Inc., and Tel-Ad Advisors Southwest, Inc., brought this antitrust action against defendants, GTE Directories Corporation and its subsidiary corporations (hereinafter referred to collectively as “GTE/DC”), alleging violations of §§ 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1-2 , and state antitrust laws, as well as alleging pendent state causes of action for inducing breach of contract, interference with prospective business advantage, and unfair competition. The first antitrust claim, under § 2 of the Sherman Act, alleges that GTE/DC used its monopoly power in the yellow pages advertising market to obtain a monopoly in the separate consulting market by refusing to deal with plaintiffs in their capacity as agents for the advertisers. The second claim, under § 1 of the Sherman Act, alleges that GTE/DC’s contracts with the local telephone companies, in conjunction with its refusal to deal with plaintiffs described above, amounted to a restraint of trade. The third claim, under § 1 of the Sherman Act, alleges that GTE/DC illegally tied its sale of…