Ban on Rupert Murdoch’s interference in Times and Sunday Times ended
Nadine Dorries has removed all legal barriers on Rupert Murdoch interfering in the editorial independence of the Times and the Sunday Times, ending restrictions that have been in place since he bought the newspapers in 1981.
The decision by the culture secretary also clears the way for a potential merger of the two titles, which are currently required to have largely separate editorial teams.
Ofcom had warned that lifting the restrictions “would create the opportunity for greater proprietorial influence over the titles, which could affect free expression of opinion and accuracy of news”.
However, the media regulator also largely accepted the case that there is little incentive for Murdoch to interfere in editorial matters, because if that became public it would undermine the trust of the Times’s readers and cost Murdoch money.
Their owner, News UK, had said the logical conclusion of this argument is that, if there are limited incentives for Murdoch to interfere, then the rule stopping him from interfering should be abolished.
1953
Rupert Murdoch takes control of his father’s Adelaide-based newspaper business after his death, eventually building it into the dominant player in the Australian market.
1968
Moves internationally, beating Robert Maxwell to buy the News of the World, the UK’s highest-selling newspaper, from the Carr family.
1969
Extends influence in British media by buying the Sun and turns it tabloid. By 1977 it overtakes the Daily Mirror as the UK’s highest-selling daily newspaper.
1981
Buys the Times and Sunday Times newspapers, resulting in calls of too much media control.
1985
Enters the world of broadcast, buying the film studio 20th Century Fox and a clutch of local TV stations, which will eventually become the Fox
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