Battle heats up over sale of Channel 5

Ministers will this week be urged to think again before the controversial Communications Bill allows newspaper publishers – including Rupert Murdoch – to buy Channel 5.

A public lobby of Parliament has been backed by a protest motion signed by more than 100 MPs.

It is the first salvo in what promises to be a vocal campaign of support for amendments to the legislation, to be tabled by film producer Lord Puttnam later this month.

The MPs have stated they believe the expected takeover of Channel 5 by Rupert Murdoch, proprietor of The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times, would "destabilise" public service broadcasting and regional production and "threaten plurality".

At the very least, lobbyists want such matters placed in the hands of the new regulator, Ofcom. At best, they want Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to withdraw plans to scrap the rule that allows firms or individuals owning more than 20 per cent of the domestic newspaper market to buy an equivalent, or greater share, of the terrestrial television market. The MPs also call for regulations on ITV to provide "substantial high-quality and original regional programmes".