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CARLTON/GRANADA MERGER
134/Media Monitor
The Competition Commission has to report to Patricia Hewitt, the Department of Trade and Industry minister, by June 25. Part of the work of the team charged with drawing up the report is to invite comments on the merger from interested parties.The National Union of Journalists submitted written evidence (you can find the evidence on the NUJ website www.nuj.org.uk) and also gave oral evidence. The NUJ evidence argued that the impact of the present level of concentration has already had dire consequences on regional news, regional programmes and jobs, and on the fifteen- franchise regional ITV system.
Granada operates seven of the fifteen regional ITV franchises (Anglia, Border, Granada, LWT, Meridian, Tyne Tees and Yorkshire), an airtime sales house for nine ITV licences (its own seven and Ulster and Channel) and several programme production companies. It also has shareholdings in the Scottish Media Group (holder of the two Scottish ITV licences), GMTV and ITN, amongst others.
Carlton Communications operate four ITV licences (HTV, Carlton, Central and West Country), an airtime sales house representing its four franchises and the two SMG licences, a number of content production companies, books and video/DVD production, and shares in GMTV and ITN.
A merger would make it virtually impossible for a new consortium to bid for a regional ITV franchise against such a media monolith when the licences come up for renewal around 2010. Surely one good reason to oppose a merger which would eliminate competition?
Unfortunately the Competition Commission used to be able to assess other factors apart from competition issues, such as the public interest, when reaching its decisions. Its report to Patricia Hewitt won’t be able to do that.
Last modified: Sunday, June 15, 2003
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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
Miscellany
NEWS FOR SCOTLAND
CROSS-MEDIA PROMOTION
ITALIAN AFFAIRS
A LETHAL COCKTAIL:
Racism, the press and the PCC
WITHOUT COMMENT (1)
WITHOUT COMMENT (2)
SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT
DON’T DO IT HERE, DON’T DO IT THERE: HBO’s The Sopranos Is As Good As It Gets
US MEDIA OWNERSHIP
WORTH READING
REVIEW: The Wages of Spin by Bernard Ingham, John Hardy Publishers £18.99
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PETITION: STOP THE FLORIDA-TION OF THE 2004 ELECTION
Informed Dissent - A CD by undercurrents and Peace News £6.50
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Excerpts from a speech given by US Federal Communications Commissioner on media concentration
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New Free Press on site
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The dogs of Fleet Street show their teeth.
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