Mixed messages

A couple of contrasting bits of news today, BERR the Government's business department is consulting on forcing Sky to sell some of its stake in ITV, meanwhile, according to the Media Guardian, the Government's Digital Britain paper, is likely to recommend removing regulation that governs and restricts local cross-media ownership. The Sky decision was an usual one; this Government hasn't shown itself to be keen on standing up to anything connected with Rupert Murdoch, I guess having Branson weighing in with the financial and legal muscle must have helped. This says much for the system of regulation in the UK, in that, at the end of the day, as in all things, money talks, it would seem. The relaxation of media regulation as a means to help troubled newspapers, would be a knee-jerk reaction to the real economic problems facing the industry and is not the answer. Much is expected of Carter's paper but if this is anything to go by, it could be a poor effort.

Death by consultation

Some time spent yesterday and today drafting material for the NUJs submission to the Lords Committee looking at media ownership issues. The latest in a series of time consuming consultations. There's plenty at stake, with Ofcom and others pushing a free-market agenda. The Lords were influential with their responses to the Communications Act so hopefully Gordon will be in listening mode.