Minister Nandy may intervene in Sky's purchase of ITV — The Guardian

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she is inclined to intervene in Sky's acquisition of ITV's broadcasting and streaming division for £1.6 billion. Such a move could pave the way for an in-depth review of the deal, which could create the UK's largest commercial broadcaster, The Guardian reports.

Public interest review

Nandy explained that her decision is linked to a number of public interest considerations. These include protecting freedom of expression in news media, ensuring sufficient plurality of views, and ensuring a sufficient number of persons control media enterprises.

The secretary must also ensure the availability of a wide range of high-quality television and on-demand programmes designed for different audience tastes and interests. Nandy's statement is a formal part of the takeover procedure. Sky and ITV have five days to respond.

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Possible regulatory investigation

If the secretary decides to formally intervene in the process, the deal will be investigated by media regulator Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority. Sky, owned by the US corporation Comcast, sees the acquisition as an opportunity to create a national streaming player focused on the UK market and capable of competing with Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.

According to the publication, the television industry is under pressure due to increasing competition from streaming platforms and audiences shifting to digital services, including YouTube. At the same time, few industry representatives expect the deal to be blocked.