The regional press is calling for controls on media ownership to be abandoned as part of the Communications White Paper.

The Newspaper Society, which represents the industry, has told the Government it supports further liberalisation of cross-media ownership restrictions and opposes moves that might result in publishing companies having to sell-off titles to meet the regulations.

The Society was responding to a consultation by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Trade and Industry.

It said it did not accept the consultation paper’s assertion that the case for media-specific regulation remained strong on democratic grounds – because local newspapers would have to reflect local issues and concerns rather than impose news and views that harmed their business.

It also asked the Government to abolish the special merger regime – which subjects newspaper owners to different tests before purchases are allowed – and make them subject to the general merger rules and normal competition law.

The “significant costs” the current system had placed on the industry were despite only three refusals in 172 acquisition cases in the last 20 years. Five has been approved subject to conditions during that time.

A statement from the Society said: “The industry remains united and firm in its view that general competition law ought to replace outdated media ownership controls.

“In particular the industry wants the abolition of the unique controls that restrict the merger of newspaper companies and transfer of newspaper titles. It supports further liberalizations of the cross-media ownership restrictions.”

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