Mandelson launches attack on News Corp

Lord Mandelson has launched a withering attack on Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, accusing it of having an “iron grip” on the pay-TV market.

During the second reading debate of the government’s Digital Britain bill, the business secretary told parliament that News Corp wanted to introduce a Fox-style news broadcaster to the UK and “erode the commitment to impartiality” put in place by Ofcom.

He said: “There are some in the commercial sector who believe that the future of British media would be served by cutting back the role of the media regulator.

“They take this view because they want to commandeer more space and income for themselves and because they want to maintain their iron-grip on pay-TV, a market in which many viewers feel they are paying more than they should for their music and sport.

“They also want to erode the commitment to impartiality. In other words, to fill British airwaves with more Fox-style news.

“They believe that profit alone should drive the gathering and circulation of news rather than allowing a role for what they call ‘state-sponsored journalism’.

“The Government and this Bill reject this worldview, and I hope that the whole House, including the Conservatives, will make clear today that they think likewise, and that they will support Ofcom – including its efforts to ensure consumers are getting a fair deal in the pay-TV market.”