- Culture secretary Lisa Nandy orders investigations into the Telegraph sale by DMGT
- Concerns raised over media monopoly and diversity of views in UK press
- Ofcom and CMA to report by June 10 on potential impact of the merger
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has formally intervened in the proposed £500 million acquisition of The Telegraph by the owners of the Daily Mail, citing significant concerns regarding media freedom and market competition.
The deal, struck in November by Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), would see the broadsheet join a stable that already includes the Daily Mail, The Metro, the i, and New Scientist. However, the government has now ordered dual investigations to determine if the merger serves the public interest.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will investigate whether the deal creates an unfair monopoly in the UK news market. Simultaneously, the media regulator Ofcom will assess the impact on “media plurality.” Nandy emphasised the necessity of maintaining a “sufficient plurality of views” and a diversity of individuals in control of major media outlets to ensure the UK audience is served by varied perspectives.
DMGT has maintained that The Telegraph would remain editorially independent under its ownership. Despite these assurances, the government’s intervention marks the latest hurdle for the sale of the newspaper, which has faced years of ownership uncertainty.
The title was put up for sale in 2023 following a debt dispute with the Barclay family, and a previous bid backed by United Arab Emirates investors was blocked due to concerns over foreign state ownership.
Ofcom and the CMA have been given a deadline of June 10 to submit their findings, at which point the government will decide whether to allow, block, or attach conditions to the sale.
- https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/dec/16/telegraph-takeover-daily-mail-owner-lisa-nandy-redbird-imi – This article reports on Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s consideration of an investigation into the £500 million takeover of The Telegraph by the owner of the Daily Mail, following a formal request from RedBird IMI.
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/20/lisa-nandy-media-regulator-daily-mail-telegraph-titles – This piece details Nandy’s intention to refer the Daily Mail’s £500 million acquisition of The Telegraph to regulators, expressing concerns over media plurality and competition.
- https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-01-20/hcws1263 – This official statement from the UK Parliament outlines Nandy’s ‘minded to’ intervention on public interest grounds, specifying concerns over media plurality and control.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/lisa-nandy-culture-secretary-competition-and-markets-authority-abu-dhabi-cabinet-b2904067.html – This article discusses Nandy’s indication to scrutinise the £500 million sale of The Telegraph to the Daily Mail owner, highlighting competition concerns.
- https://www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj-would-welcome-investigation-into-telegraph-takeover.html – This statement from the National Union of Journalists supports Nandy’s move to refer the Telegraph takeover to Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority for investigation.
- https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/aug/13/ngo-urge-nandy-halt-sale-telegraph-china-links – This article reports on NGOs urging Nandy to halt the sale of The Telegraph due to concerns over RedBird Capital’s links to China, raising issues about media pluralism and transparency.
Register for Editor’s picks
Stay ahead of the curve with our Editor's picks newsletter – your weekly insight into the trends, challenges, and innovations driving the future of digital media.
