Do not let foreign states own papers, say public

TWO THIRDS of people believe that foreign governments should be banned from owning British newspapers, according to a poll, as ministers order a new investigation into an Abu Dhabibacked takeover of The Telegraph.

A survey of more than 2,000 people found 69 per cent think overseas governments should be prevented by law from owning media outlets such as newspapers.

Among voters who backed the Conservatives at the last election, three quarters (75 per cent) said foreign governments should not be allowed to own UK newspapers.

According to the poll, carried out by the research agency Public First, 58 per cent of people said there should be a legal requirement for owners of British media outlets to be based in countries that have free elections and a free press.

The findings come after Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary, ordered a further investigation into an attempted takeover of The Telegraph by RedBird IMI, a fund that is 75 per cent funded by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the vice president of the UAE.

She has given Ofcom an extra six weeks to examine the plan. The regulator now has until March 11 to complete both its original investigation and a second probe that takes into account a new corporate structure put into place by RedBird IMI this week.

Ms Frazer said the change had created a new merger situation that demanded new scrutiny. Earlier this week, she rebuked RedBird IMI for taking action at a late stage that was not “conducive to the full and proper functioning of the process”. Ofcom had been due to deliver its findings yesterday.

RedBird IMI derailed the regulator by creating an English limited partnership as an extra tier in the proposed chain of ownership. In such a structure, a limited partner must be passive.

The move was an apparent attempt to reassure Ofcom that IMI, Sheikh Mansour’s investment vehicle, would be unable to influence The Telegraph. It has a record of censorship and editorial interference at media companies.

However, Ms Frazer said in a letter to RedBird IMI: “IMI remains the majority stakeholder … and is privately owned by a member of the UAE government. The Secretary of State therefore remains concerned about the potential influence of IMI over TMG [Telegraph Media Group] which could affect the free expression of opinion and accurate presentation of news.”

The survey, carried out between Jan 16 and 22, asked respondents which of a series of restrictions on the ownership of British media outlets they would support being set out in law.

Three quarters of respondents agreed that “it does matter who owns British media outlets” compared to only 11 per cent who disagreed.

Asked to identify the most important benefits of independent media outlets and freedom of speech, 73 per cent of respondents said that “they can hold the Government and politicians to account”, 62 per cent agreed such outlets can “highlight the failures and crimes of the powerful” and 54 per cent said they can “provide important general news updates”.

A RedBird IMI spokesman said: “RedBird IMI remains committed to acquiring and investing in and reiterates that maintaining the editorial independence of the newspaper is essential to protecting its reputation, credibility and value.”

Majority of people in new poll want takeovers of UK publications by overseas governments outlawed