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Stopping Murdoch Now (2)
DATELINE: 28/2/07
After weeks of uncertainty, Rupert Murdoch will face a government review of his UK media holdings, after an announcement by Alistair Darling the secretary of state for trade and industry on 26 February. Under the provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002, Ofcom has been asked to review whether BSkyB's 17.9% stake in ITV raises public interest issues as a result of this transaction and report to the secretary of state by 27 April.
It is expected that the Office of Fair Trading will report on the competition effects of the purchase by the same date. In his statement to the Commons Mr. Darling emphasised that his decision 'only means there will be an initial investigation by Ofcom and is not determinative of whether the transaction actually gives rise to substantive public interests concerns that may warrant making a reference to the Competition Commission'.
John Grogan MP who had led the campaign in parliament for referral welcomed the decision. This is a pivotal moment in British Broadcasting when finally a government minister has the courage to stand up to Mr. Murdoch and make a stand in favour of plurality and diversity in our media' he exclaimed.
The decision has also been welcomed by the CPBF. 'It is clear that Murdoch's people are really rattled by Darling's move' commented Barry White the CPBF's national organiser, 'but there is still a long way to go. The immediate task is to build a coalition against Murdoch and mobilise opinion against his increasing dominance. We will be talking with John Grogan and others to see how the anger that already exists following Murdoch's purchase of ITV shares can be built on.'
Last modified: Wednesday, February 28, 2007
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Media Ownership
Stopping Murdoch now!
Stopping Murdoch Now!
Early Day Motion 309: Attempted takeover of ITV by Sky
Stopping Murdoch now
Turmoil at the Telegraph
Independent news network expands
Australian media law reform plan goes off air indefinitely
Off and On: the OFT and Newspaper Distribution
Prodi to undo Berlusconi's media laws
Who does he think he is?
No Sale for Northcliffe
Report on 'Content diversity in newspapers and television'
Corporate greed rules
Transnational corporate censorship threatens British music
Satisfying the advertisers
Ottakar’s Demise
Set the Media Free - Media Watch Global
Mayor calls for OFT to reconsider proposals
Media policy dominated by 'cosy cartel', says report
Clear Channel move in on Glastonbury
It’s Money That Matters
Getty acquisition deadline
Distribution Danger
VLV pushes for launch of Free-to-Air Digital Satellite
CPBF responds to OFT proposals on magazine distribution
OFT opinion threatens small magazine publishers
Monitoring Murdoch - a blogger speaks
IFJ welcomes 'First Step', calls on Berlusconi to quit TV
Protecting public service broadcasting
The News Monopoly
