Publisher Macmillan Inc. of New York disclosed...

Publisher Macmillan Inc. of New York disclosed that it had asked government clearance to acquire more than 50% of Bell & Howell, the hotly pursued publishing conglomerate. British publisher Robert Maxwell and an investment group including Texas investor Robert Bass have also launched bids for Bell & Howell. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Macmillan said it has already asked the Federal Trade Commission for clearance to boost its Bell & Howell stake. Macmillan currently holds 7.9% of Bell & Howell’s common stock.