Consultation: the future of media plurality in the UK 2021 (OFCOM)

Consultation: the future of media plurality in the UK 2021 (OFCOM)

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 25 March 2022

• Category: Ad hoc research
• Original publisher: Ofcom
• Research area: Advertising and marketing, Future connectivity and internet, Media and entertainment, Retail and digital commerce, Technology
• Research topic: Adtech, Advertising spend, Artificial intelligence, Audio and radio, General and vertical search, News and publishing, Personalisation algorithm, Safety and harms, Social media and instant messaging, TV, video and on-demand
• Research publish date: 17 November 2021

Abstract

Media plurality is the cornerstone of a well-functioning democratic society in which citizens are exposed to a wide range of viewpoints from a variety of different sources, and where any one media owner, or voice, does not have too much influence over public opinion and the political agenda. The importance of online news sources has grown dramatically, driving changes in our consumption habits – particularly among younger people – while social media, search engines and news aggregators are increasingly acting as intermediaries between news content and consumers. Existing media ownership rules – which focus on ownership of traditional forms of media – have not evolved to take account of these changes. Ofcom therefore launched a new programme of work to understand what media plurality means in the 21st century, looking beyond existing media ownership rules. This consultation examined the nature of plurality concerns in the current news media landscape and consider whether there is a need for new interventions.

Citation

Ofcom, Consultation: the future of media plurality in the UK (2021) [online] Available at: Consultation: The Future of Media Plurality in the UK [Accessed 10 February 2022]

Link

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-2/future-media-plurality-uk

Published 25 March 2022