Open consultation

Consultation on updating the media mergers regime

From:: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Published: 6 November 2024
Last updated: 13 December 2024 — See all updates

Consultation description

This consultation has been extended to 13 January 2025 to give interested parties additional time to respond. If you’ve already responded, you’re welcome to submit another response or to email: media-mergers@dcms.gov.uk.

The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has a duty under section 3 of the Communications Act 2003 to secure and maintain a sufficient plurality of providers of different TV and radio services. It also has a duty under section 391 of the Act to review the operation of the media ownership rules listed in that section every three years.

In its most recent review of these rules, Ofcom set out three recommendations for government:

retain the Cross-Media Ownership and Appointed News Provider rules relating to Channel 3
remove restrictions on certain entities holding broadcasting licences
broaden the scope of the existing Media Public Interest Test framework beyond print newspapers and broadcasters by applying existing public interest considerations in section 58 of the Enterprise Act 2002 to a broader range of “news creators”

This technical consultation will focus on the final recommendation and is seeking views on proposed government amendments to the EA 2002 that will implement these changes.

Respond to this consultation by completing the online form.

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