L85 Response Accepted AI-assessed

Plurality Focus on News

Recommendation

The particular public policy goals of ensuring that citizens are informed and preventing too much influence in any one pair of hands over the political process are most directly served by concentrating on plurality in news and current affairs. This focus should be kept under review.

Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
According to Independent evidence (2025-02-27), media plurality assessments, including Ofcom's measurement framework and the public interest test in media mergers, focus on news and current affairs, as recommended by Leveson. According to Official government response (2012-11-29), the government accepted recommendations on media plurality in 2012, noting the legislative basis in the Enterprise Act 2002 and Communications Act 2003.
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 19 Mar 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
External sources searched: www.gov.uk, www.legislation.gov.uk, hansard.parliament.uk
Jurisdiction
UK-wide
Response
Accepted
Accepted UK Government
29 Nov 2012

The government accepted recommendations on media plurality. Ofcom developed a measurement framework for media plurality in 2015, publishes regular Media Nations reports, and has a full menu of remedies available for plurality concerns. The Enterprise Act 2002 and Communications Act 2003 provide the legislative basis for intervention on media mergers. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/david-cameron-statement-in-response-to-the-leveson-inquiry-report

Read Full Response
Note: PM David Cameron responded to all 92 recommendations with a single statement accepting them "in principle" or "in part". No per-recommendation response was published.
Published Evidence

Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.

Confirmed Completed
27 Feb 2025
Ofcom / Government Other

Media plurality assessments focus on news and current affairs, as Leveson recommended. Ofcom's media plurality framework and the public interest test in media mergers concentrate on plurality in news provision.

View detailed findings

Plurality focus on news and current affairs is established in regulatory practice.

Ofcom media plurality work View Source
Source
Report An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press 29 Nov 2012
Responsible Bodies
UK Government Primary
Recommendation age 13.3 yrs
Last formal update 4863 days ago