The House of Lords Select Committee on Communications recently called for submissions to its inquiry on the future of journalism. In the context of the Covid-19 crisis - in which we have seen a huge decline in advertising revenue combined with a massive spike in demand for quality news - supporting independent and critical journalism is especially significant. The MRC's … [Read more...]
Media Manifesto 2019
MRC has pulled together extensive academic research and a number of briefing reports produced by, and in consultation with, a broad range of experts and stakeholders to produce our latest Media Manifesto. It charts a roadmap towards genuine progressive reform that is both practical and radical; replacing legacy frameworks with a media policy fit for the 21st century. It … [Read more...]
News plurality and the Mirror/Express merger: real concerns remain
by Justin Schlosberg This week the Culture Secretary Matt Hancock cleared the proposed mergerbetween Trinity Mirror and Northern & Shell Group. This followed a public interest testof the merger by Ofcom on the grounds of both plurality and the ‘free expression of opinion’. It’s perhaps hardly surprising that Ofcom found no cause for concern on either ground, given … [Read more...]
MRC statement in response to announcement on Fox/Sky merger review
The Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has today stated that she is ‘minded to’ refer the proposed buyout of Sky by 21st Century Fox on plurality grounds, for further review by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Whilst that is welcome news, we are troubled that no substantive concerns have been raised in respect of either broadcasting standards – which includes reference … [Read more...]
Block the AT&T/Time Warner merger
via our friends at Free Press in the US AT&T is an enormous media, telecom and internet gatekeeper with a horrible track record of overcharging you, limiting your choices and spying on you. It's still fighting Net Neutrality. It helps the government spy on people by turning over its customer records to the NSA. It tries to stop communities from building their own … [Read more...]
The Daily Mail knows all about ‘hate’
Des Freedman argues for a full and open debate about concentrated media power. In light of the forthcoming consideration by the government of the two rival Royal Charters, this is the first of a series of pieces on press power we will be publishing. If any single article demonstrates the abuse of press power, the Daily Mail’s hatchet job on Ralph Miliband, the father of … [Read more...]
Barack Obama takes on Rupert Murdoch, the last media baron
This article originally appeared at the Daily Mirror. President Obama has had enough of Rupert Murdoch. His target is the right-wing media mogul's Fox News - the ultra-conservative TV news channel whose presenters openly compare America's first black president to Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein. Exasperated by the constant stream of televised attacks, Obama has hit … [Read more...]