Bottomley Targets Radio Ownership

07/07/95Mrs Virginia Bottomley, the new National Heritage Secretary has begun to implement the first stages of the media ownership rules. The new rules mainly affecting commercial radio mean that the total number of licences one company may hold will increase from 20 to 35 although there will also be a limit of 15 per cent of total points in the system.

No one company will be able to own more than two A stations – those with more than 4.5m potential listeners. July 12 will see the changes debated in the Lords and should come into force at the end of the month. Mrs Bottomley commented on her new position “I am now moving to a Department with a wide range of responsiblities from important and complex issues such as broadcasting and media policy to those which include the lighter side of national life”.