Media Ownership Regulation: Legal Framework of Media Plurality Measurement

Abstract

Concerns about media plurality are at the heart of media law and policy. The concept of media plurality is based on the fact that, unlike other sectors, media are powerful gatekeepers of public communication; hence competition law is not sufficient to prevent media ownership concentration. Thus, a specific regulation is essential to safeguard the public interest by avoiding excessive power and concentration of media ownership. To control undue power and concentration of media, a specific regulation which enhances media plurality is necessary. This article studies various complicated factors concerning media plurality in the regulation of media ownership. It analyzes the UK framework as an example model in comparison with other jurisdictions such as the US, Canada, and the Netherlands to recognize media plurality concerns. The article found that there is no single masterpiece for an accurate evaluation of market power. Policy concerns for achieving pluralism are distinctly complex from country to country depending on their history and context. It, therefore, provides guidelines on various factors that should be taken into consideration in media ownership regulation.