The Fight to Survive: Media Plurality
With Rupert Murdoch’s takeover bid of Sky coming under fire over the potential harm to media plurality within the UK, it calls into question the survival of a diverse UK media. As cross-media conglomerates continue to dominate we must address how the uncertain future of media plurality will shape our society.
UK Politics
Sophie Savage
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March 2017 marked the beginning of 21st Century Fox’s bid to takeover the remaining shares of Sky it did not already hold. Ofcom reported on 20th June 2017 that this bid raised ‘public interest concerns relating to media plurality.’
With Murdoch holding the position as CEO of News Corporation, the parent company of Fox, if this takeover were to go through Ofcom identified ‘a risk of increased influence by members of the Murdoch Family Trust over the UK news agenda and the political process, with its unique presence on radio, television, in print and online.’
Following this report from Ofcom, the Culture Secretary Karen Bradley stated, ‘I am minded to refer to a phase two investigation on the grounds of media plurality.’ This would pass the investigation onto the Competition and Markets Authority for further consideration.
This bid and the investigation it has triggered should act as a wake up call to the government and the media over the importance of a truly pluralistic press. Media plurality cannot be sacrificed for the gain of media conglomerates. Its existence and even belief in its existence are vital to the democracy that shapes our society.
Media plurality is particularly salient in terms of politics. To remain free, press must act as a battleground for different opinions and views on any subject within the political sphere. This fosters debate and critical thought; it allows the media to act as a tool for the public when shaping their political views. This entire process is jeopardised if one or two entities dominate the media. It creates a debate that is unduly weighted in favour of one political candidate or party by virtue of the fact that their supporters in the media have a wider sphere of influence — reaching across print to online media to radio — to spread their particular viewpoints.
This completely undermines substantive democracy. Democracy is contingent on a free press which allows the public to make informed views — their role is to create an arena of ideas, not an objective narrative of right and wrong.
If Fox’s bid to takeover the remaining shares of Sky is allowed to pass, as the rise in recent shares of Sky seem to suggest, then this is a potential view of the future of UK media. It would see the pooled influence of Fox, Sky and New Corporations — meaning that this collective entity would be the third biggest news provider, falling behind only ITN and BBC.
Of course media plurality is a cornerstone of democracy not only due to the need for free media, but also for the need of an appearance of one. If the takeover is allowed to pass, with the issue of media plurality being put to rest, the issue of whether the public will remain convinced that media is pluralistic and free is another challenge.
Public opinion could view the cross-media conglomerate as one great monolithic entity which dominates the press — translating to the press itself becoming, or seeming to become, a mouthpiece for one, unchallenged view.
This is perhaps the greatest threat to democracy where media is concerned. A situation such as this could lead to public distrust in media, already at a low level, with only 24% of people in the UK saying they trust the media at the start of 2017. At worst, this mistrust could catalyse public apathy and disengagement from politics— as if the only interpretation of politics available is one that seem distorted then how can anyone hope to meaningfully engage with the political sphere?
The takeover has flagged up the dangers of losing media plurality. Either there could be a single bias media which has undue political influence or there could be a disillusioned public, disengaged and distrustful of a media which they feel stepped out of the pages of an Orwellian novel.
Recent reports have stated that there are attempts from senior cross-party MPs to hold a parliamentary vote on the bid — a move which could cause the Murdoch’s to withdraw their bid, similar to how they did in 2011. Despite this, it remains to be seen whether Murdoch’s bid will go through or not. Yet with the trend in the expansion of cross-media conglomerates seeming to be a cornerstone of media in the 21st century it appears there will remain to be a question mark placed over the continued survival of media plurality.
