mergers Archives - Media Reform Coalition

Times/Sunday Times merger proposal: MRC says no…

February 11, 2019 By Media Reform Coalition

News Corp UK and Ireland Limited – Response to invitation to comment to DCMS on a request to accept undertakings in place of conditions relating to its acquisition of The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers in 1981 The Media Reform Coalition welcomes the opportunity to comment on this request. Since 2011, we have been at the forefront of producing evidence in relation to a … [Read more...]

Britain has one of the most concentrated media environments in the world. Just three companies dominate 83% of national newspaper circulation; five companies account for 80% of national newspaper newsbrand reach; five companies command 80% of local newspaper titles; and two companies own nearly half of all commercial analogue radio stations..

The phone hacking scandal and its aftermath demonstrated how that power has been used nationally, whilst at the local level community after community is losing the means to publicly hold power to account.

Urgent reform is needed to reclaim the media in the interest of the public.