When considering any takeover bid of media and news outlets, it is the duty of shareholders to prioritise public interests. Further to this, a takeover bid of this magnitude must be properly and robustly scrutinised. If any plans or detail is required to be scrutinised by the Government this must be done in a fully transparent and thorough manner.
It is the duty of both free media and the Government to ensure that the media sector delivers robustly evidenced and balanced news to the public. A careful balance between upholding the rights of the free press and allowing fair competition to take place is vital. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the current press regulations and work with other parties, in Scotland and Westminster, to ensure effective regulation of the media on a non-political basis.
