Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has officially declared she is “minded to intervene” regarding the proposed £1.6bn acquisition of ITV’s media and entertainment division by Sky. Her intervention follows concerns that the transaction could potentially compromise free expression in the media and diminish the diversity of Britain’s news landscape. We remain confident that bringing Sky and ITV’s media and entertainment business together will create a stronger British media,” it said.
The deal, first announced in July, includes ITV’s broadcasting operations, such as its free-to-air television channels and the ITVX streaming platform. Notably, the agreement excludes ITV Studios, the production arm responsible for major hits including I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here and Love Island. By combining their media assets, executives anticipate the move would grant Sky access to a broader audience base and strengthen their collective ability to compete against global streaming giants like Netflix.
In response to the potential regulatory review, Sky stated it would “carefully consider” the letter from the Culture Secretary and intends to “engage constructively” with the process. Despite the regulatory hurdles, the company reiterated its confidence that merging the two businesses would lead to a more robust British media environment.
ITV has also welcomed the government’s scrutiny. A representative stated that the deal remains a positive step, noting it would enable the company to better compete with international streaming platforms to the benefit of UK advertisers, viewers, and the domestic creative industries.
