Accra:The UK government has indicated it might step in on Sky's planned £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) acquisition of ITV's broadcasting and streaming operations due to concerns related to media ownership, diversity in news coverage, and the availability of quality programming to viewers.
According to Anadolu Agency, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy informed Parliament that she is considering issuing a public interest intervention notice. This formal measure would trigger reviews by media regulator Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The proposed deal would grant Sky, which is owned by US media company Comcast, control over ITV's Media and Entertainment division, including its TV channels and the streaming platform ITVX. ITV Studios, responsible for TV production, is not part of the deal. Nandy expressed concerns about media ownership concentration, freedom of expression, and the diversity of viewpoints in the news sector. She also questioned the merger's potential impact on the availability of diverse, high-quality programming on streaming and other on-demand services in the UK.
Nandy pointed out that current legislation does not explicitly address the effects of mergers on programming availability via on-demand services, suggesting the government might expand the relevant public-interest rules. Sky announced the deal on July 6, stating that the merged entity would constitute about 20% of all in-home viewing in the UK. The company believes the acquisition will enhance the competitiveness of British broadcasting against global streaming platforms.
A Sky spokesperson stated, "We remain confident that bringing Sky and ITV's Media and Entertainment business together will create a stronger British media business, better able to compete with global streaming platforms, support great British programming and trusted news and deliver more for audiences." Sky has committed to maintaining ITV's identity, free-to-air services, and public-service broadcasting obligations, as well as preserving separate editorial voices for ITV News and Sky News.
Nandy emphasized that no final decision had been made yet. Sky and ITV must submit their written responses by next Tuesday. If the notice is issued, Ofcom will assess the public-interest implications, while the CMA will evaluate the deal's potential impact on competition. Nandy will then decide whether a more thorough investigation is warranted.