Culture Secretary looks at adding online news platforms to media plurality rules

Lisa Nandy said she wants to make changes for the ‘digital age’.

By contributor By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

Published Nov 6, 2024

Last updated Jan 30

Newspaper stock — Website versions of print publications, online news providers and weekly or monthly publications could be added to media plurality rules (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has announced she will look at adding online news platforms and weekly publications to the current rules on media plurality.

Currently, the Secretary of State has the power to intervene if there are concerns about media freedom and freedom of expression when there are media mergers of local, daily and Sunday newspapers as well as broadcasters.

Ms Nandy has begun a consultation into whether weekly or monthly publications – such as The Economist or Prospect – should be added to the legislation.

Budget 2024 — Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says the UK’s media mergers regime needs to become ‘future-proof’ (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

It also proposes that UK online providers such as HuffPost or The Independent or the website version of print publications if being merged, could trigger “public interest” considerations under the scope of the Enterprise Act 2002.