Green Calls For Liberalisation Of Ownership Rules

Michael Green, chairman of Carlton Communications, yesterday called on the government to liberalise the current cross-media ownership rules and therefore allow British companies to compete globally in the media industry. Green, who usually shuns personal publicity, was making his first public Speech on the industry at yesterday’s Fleming Memorial lecture.

Green said the recent ITV mergers were a first step towards building a partnership between business and broadcasting and that consolidation must continue with companies being allowed to “grow naturally within the normal boundaries of competition law.” He said that he saw no reason why an ITV company such as Carlton should not be allowed to take stakes in newspapers.

Criticising the current system of regulating the media, Green suggested that the international view of ITV was of a cottage industry with thatched cottages in a world dominated by skyscrapers.