UK weighs intervention in Telegraph takeover
UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said on Tuesday that she is “minded” to intervene in Daily Mail owner DMGT’s proposed £500 million ($673 million) acquisition of The Telegraph, potentially triggering regulatory scrutiny over media plurality.
The Telegraph has remained in limbo since 2023, when RedBird IMI — a joint venture between US-based RedBird Capital and Abu Dhabi’s International Media Investments — attempted to purchase the newspaper. That deal stalled after the UK introduced new restrictions on foreign ownership of media outlets.
Nandy stated she is considering action “on the grounds of public interest,” highlighting the importance of ensuring both a plurality of viewpoints and sufficient plurality of ownership within the UK media landscape. She added that she is not currently minded to intervene under the Foreign State Influence regime, but could reconsider if new evidence emerges linking the deal to foreign-state involvement.
“This is not a final decision,” Nandy emphasized, noting that her “minded to” letter gives involved parties until January 26 to submit their responses before she makes a final ruling.
If an Intervention Notice is issued, UK media regulator Ofcom would assess the public-interest concerns, while the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would evaluate whether the deal constitutes a relevant merger and its potential impact on competition.
