Hunt gives clues on direction of new UK media regulation

With a new Communications Act likely to come into force in 2015, UK culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has hinted at some of the provisions that are likely to be included.

Speaking at the Royal Television Society convention in Cambridge, England, Hunt said that politicians might be barred from ruling on media mergers on public interest grounds, as is currently the case.

Other new provisions could include allowing communications and competition bodies to start investigations based on media plurality concerns  irrespective of a company takeover. A takeover is currently the necessary trigger to start such an investigation.