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Hunt relaxes media rules
CULTURE secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday outlined plans to scrap cross-media ownership rules.
The changes mean that holders of Channel 3 licences like ITV, STV and UTV will also be able to own regional papers without restrictions.
An aide to Hunt said: “We’re basically clearing the decks. The regulations are outdated. We want to deregulate as much as possible.”
But industry executives said the move was unlikely to lead to a wave of consolidation in the local media sector.
Rob Woodward, chief executive of STV, told City A.M.: “Removing unnecessary restrictions has to be a good thing, but I’m not sure it will lead to a huge amount of change. I’m not sure that regional press and holders of Channel 3 licences are a good mix.”