Newspaper Society Criticises Draft Communications Bill
The Newspaper Society (NS) has criticised the Government’s recently published draft Communications Bill (see
In its submission to the Joint Select Committee on the Communications Bill, the NS claims that the latest media ownership policy, which proposes the abolition of prior consent and criminal sanctions, threatens to introduce new layers of plurality and competition controls.
The Society acknowledges that the Bill goes some way towards relaxing the existing newspaper ownership regulations, but it is urging the Government to allow the industry to be governed by a general competition law, bringing it in line with the radio and television industries.
The NS submission states: “The Communications Bill deliberately promotes the consolidation of radio and television. By contrast, newspaper transactions will have to undergo a series of assessments, referrals, inquiries, public consultations, recommendations and decisions, with a great array of outcomes including approvals and refusals, that could culminate in competition and plurality divestments, undertakings and conditions.”
The Society, which is particularly concerned about the proposal to give Ofcom a role in newspaper transfers and mergers, has long been campaigning for the liberalisation of the industry. In its response to the DCMS’s consultation on media ownership rules, the Society said that the reform of the current regime is a matter of “crucial concern” to the newspaper industry as a whole (see NS Calls For Reform Of Outdated Media Laws).
Newspaper Society: 020 7636 7014 www.newspapersoc.org.uk
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