Ofcom plurality review received 45,000 submissions

The failed takeover of BSkyB by News Corporation, which is under Robert Murdoch, prompted Ofcom to call for a review in media plurality in October of this year. The regulator was called upon by Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt to conduct an investigation on how media plurality could possibly be measured. Hunt also brought up the possibility on setting limits on how media ownership can be used in order to protect plurality.

Ofcom defined plurality as something that did not only relate to the number of persons who had control over media companies, but as something that also refers to a broader “ability to influence and inform public opinion.”

In line with this, Ofcom’s chief executive, Ed Richards called for the ability to assess plurality depending on the media organisation’s growth or “change in audience levels or viewing share.”

Ofcom opened up a review that accepted answers until November 18. Recently, it was revealed that the review was able to receive over 45,000 submissions.

Ofcom said that it was able to received around 50 responses from various organisations and individuals, 15,000 from campaigning group Avaaz, and 30,000 more from community group 38 Degrees. The 50 responses from the first group was said to have covered broad issues on media dominance and ownership in the UK.

A spokesman from Ofcom said: “Ofcom has received a significant number of comments and responses to its work on measuring media plurality. We expect to report back on the questions that we have been asked by Jeremy Hunt, the secretary of state, next year.”

Ofcom was part of a public interest test on the bid by Murdoch’s News Corp to acquire 60.9% of Sky that it did not already hold ownership of. The bid was ultimately withdrawn by News Corp this summer due to cross-party political pressure, especially in the wake of the phone hacking scandal that rocked News of the World.