David Davis is right to warn against a potential takeover of the Telegraph newspapers by Lord Rothermere’s DMGT (The Mail and the Telegraph owned by the same man? It would be a disaster for the UK’s free press, 28 September). However, he is wrong to say that this would be “another step towards an uncompetitive press dominated by the powerful few”. The British press is already dominated by a tiny handful of billionaire media moguls and global “big tech” tycoons, from national and local newspapers to broadcasters and new online platforms.
As a report published last month by the Media Reform Coalition demonstrates, nine in every 10 newspapers sold in the UK are controlled by just three companies – Rothermere’s DMGT, Rupert Murdoch’s News UK, and Reach (publishers of the Mirror, Express and Star titles). These same companies account for 40% of the total online reach of the UK’s top 50 news websites, giving Rothermere and Murdoch an even tighter grip over the news agenda.
Ownership of the online news environment is just as concentrated – 10 of the top 15 websites and apps used to access news online are controlled by Meta, Alphabet and X Corp. Almost three-quarters of the UK public get their news through Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, all owned by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta. Through their opaque algorithms and domination of online advertising, these unregulated platforms have further entrenched the influence and market reach of already-dominant publishers.
Media moguls come and go, but instead of lamenting that “what’s done is done”, politicians such as David Davis must act now to break up Britain’s media monopolies. Stronger regulations would curb the market dominance of publishing chains, while a tax on tech giants could support public interest journalism and revive the dilapidated local press.
Dr Tom Chivers
Media Reform Coalition, Goldsmiths, University of London
