The Impact of Media Concentration on Professional ... - OSCE

Newspaper reach (%)All Adults 31.1Men 33.1Women 29.4MHS (Main Household Shopper) 30.3Source: World Association <strong>of</strong> Newspapers (2003) World Press Trends 2003.<strong>The</strong> Communications Bill was widely discussed and has madethe UK one <strong>of</strong> the most liberal countries in terms <strong>of</strong> media ownershipand concentration, especially in commercial broadcasting.Many commentators thought the decision to <strong>of</strong>fer RupertMurdoch a stake in terrestrial television was an attempt by theLabour government to keep Murdoch’s substantial press interestssupportive <strong>of</strong> the government. 81<strong>The</strong> UK has a very centralized national press with most <strong>of</strong>the publishing houses based in London, and produces a range<strong>of</strong> broadsheet, mid-market and tabloid newspapers. <strong>The</strong>behaviour <strong>of</strong> the tabloid press has caused controversy over theyears, with its style <strong>of</strong> intrusive, sensational celebrity and scandaldriven journalism. <strong>The</strong> newspaper industry is self-regulatedby the industry-funded Press Complaints Commission(PCC). 82<strong>The</strong> entire national press is owned by seven companies.<strong>The</strong> four largest <strong>of</strong> these account for about 90 per cent <strong>of</strong> sales:• News International (News Corp.):<strong>The</strong> Sun (3,600,000), <strong>The</strong> Times (632,600), <strong>The</strong> News <strong>of</strong>the World (3,860,000), <strong>The</strong> Sunday Times (1,300,000)• Trinity Mirror: Daily Mirror (2,100,000), Daily Record(Scotland, 541,000), Sunday Mirror (1,760,000),<strong>The</strong> People (1,300,000)120 THE IMPACT OF MEDIA CONCENTRATION ON PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM