How the rules on ownership will work
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Your support makes all the difference.PRIMARY legislation next year will propose:
q Newspaper groups with less than 20% of national newspaper circulation to be allowed to control radio and television broadcasters with up to 15% market share.
q Newspaper groups not to own local TV or radio licences if they already have 30% of region's newspaper circulation.
q No limits on ownership of terrestrial TV, satellite and cable broadcasters, unless more than 20% of a broadcaster is owned by a newspaper with more than 20% of national circulation.
q Abolition of 50% limit on combined Channel 3 holdings in ITN.
q Abolition of limit on number of local radio licences which may be held, within existing points system.
q As now, no-one to own more than two stations on Channels 3 or 5.
q Regulator to have power to disallow control not in public interest.
Meanwhile, immediate legislation will:
q Increase limit on number of radio licences from 20 to 35.
q Remove limits on holdings of radio licences carrying audiences of 1m+.
q Raise from 15% to 25% the limit on share stakes producers and broadcasters can hold in one another.
q Liberalise definition of independent producer.
q Double from 25,000 to 50,000 the minimum circulation for newspaper mergers to be referred to the Monopolies & Mergers Commission.
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