A healthy democracy can be facilitated by an independent, free, plural media. But research carried out by the Media Reform Coalition has found that UK media is dominated by just a few media moguls and tech tycoons. This raises the question of whether reform is needed.
Newspapers
90% of national newspaper circulation is dominated by three companies – DMG Media, News UK, and Reach. This gives them a strong position for setting the news agenda. For local print and digital-only newspapers, only six companies own 71%. As this has made them less locally embedded, it has had an adverse impact on local journalism.
However, journalism remains a popular and fascinating career choice. If you do hope to break into this world, NCTJ courses from providers such as https://newsassociates.co.uk/what-is-the-nctj/ are a good way to get started.
Online media
Many people engage with news content online. Of the top fifteen platforms that people in the UK use, ten are owned by X Corp, Alphabet, and Meta. Online advertising spend is dominated by just two tech companies – Meta and Google, which gives them power over the funding and availability of online news.
Broadcasting
The BBC remains dominant on TV and radio. However, its public service ethos is threatened by political interference, license fee freezes, and cuts which have significantly eroded the public’s trust. Meanwhile, opinion-led channels such as TalkTV and GB News are gaining ground.
With so few companies dominating and having such influence on news content, as well as how and where we access it, media reform may be needed to ensure accuracy and impartiality.