A councillor and former newspaper publisher in West Wales has accused a weekly newspaper of operating a “media monopoly” in the area.

Mike Stoddart sold the Milford Mercury to Newscom, a predecessor of Newsquest, more than ten years ago.

Now a local councillor in Pembrokeshire, Mr Stoddart claims the Newsquest-owned Western Telegraph is using what he called its “monopoly pricing power” to overcharge the council for public notices.

However the council’s leader, John Davies, rejected Coun Stoddart’s call to refer the matter to the Competition Commission, saying he refused to pursue a “vendetta” against the paper.

Coun Stoddart proposed a motion stating: “This council makes known to the Competition Commission its concerns about Newsquest’s monopolistic pricing strategy for public notices.”

He said: “The paper has the county council over a barrel, or by the short and curlies, which is why it charges more for public notices. The council should refer them to the Competition Commission, or I will do it myself.”

However, the motion was overwhelmingly rejected by 40 votes to ten at a recent meeting of the full council.

Coun Davies said: “It’s not about pursuing a vendetta against any local paper. If he has issues with the Western Telegraph, I suggest he pursues them himself.”

Comments

Chris Youett, Esq, (15/03/2010 15:37:39)
What planet has Coun Stoddart been living on all his life. ALL media groups want local monopolies – and will use every dirty trick in the book to get one & to fend off fair competition. These are the same employers who then trot out editorials praising the virtues of free enterprise & condemining anyone else who tries to get a local monopoly. This is why they really hate council newspapers – and is a major reason journalists are so badly paid.