The British government announced that it is launching an investigation into the process of selling the British publication "Telegraph" to the owner of the tabloid "Daily Mail", the company DMGT, reported Agence France-Presse.
The investigation is being conducted in the name of "public interest" and the "need for sufficient pluralism of opinion".
DMGT announced in November 2025 that it had signed a £500 million (around €574 million) deal to acquire the conservative newspaper, a deal that, if completed, would create one of the most powerful right-wing media groups in Britain. The acquisition would change the media landscape in Britain and could create a dominant conservative voice at a time when the anti-immigrant Reform UK party is leading in opinion polls and Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer is losing popularity. The new group would operate alongside similarly-minded publications such as The Sun and The Times. At the other end of the political spectrum, the main left-wing British newspapers are The Guardian and The Guardian. and "Mirror".
The UK competition regulator and the media regulator are due to review the case and report to the government by June 10.
In a statement, DMGT welcomed the government's move, which the company said "represents significant progress in the acquisition project". "We remain committed to investing in "The Telegraph" and its journalists, to preserving its distinctive editorial voice and team, and to accelerating its global expansion, with a particular focus on the US," the statement said. DMGT said it would work "constructively with regulators and the government to ensure the swift completion of the deal".
Owned by the ultra-wealthy Barclay family since 2004, "The Telegraph" was forced to sell at the end of 2023 by Lloyds to cover significant debts. A joint venture between the American fund "Redbird" and a media investment fund from Abu Dhabi reached an agreement with the Barclay family at the end of 2023. But the prospect of an Emirati fund controlling one of the most influential publications in Britain caused concern among the then Conservative government, which decided to adopt legislative changes to block the acquisition of British newspapers by foreign countries. Thus, the deal failed and a new buyer emerged.
In addition to the "Daily Mail", the DMGT group also owns the publications "Metro", "iPaper" and "New Scientist".
The British media holding BBC plans to cut its costs by 10 percent over the next three years, world agencies reported.
According to British media, the cuts could amount to 600 million pounds ($817 million) and could lead to staff cuts and a reduction in some programs.
The BBC's difficulties are also deepening due to the fact that fewer and fewer people choose to pay the annual fee, mandatory for every British household that watches live television channels. The annual fee, on which the BBC relies heavily, currently amounts to 174.50 British pounds. The public broadcaster collected £3.8bn from more than 23m licences in 2024-2025, but 3.6m households said they did not need a licence, according to a recent parliamentary committee report. More than £1.1bn in revenue was lost over the same period, with the report noting that some people legally refused or avoided paying the licence fee.
The BBC must also cope with changes in the way media is consumed, such as streaming platforms.
The latest cuts to the BBC's spending come amid controversy over a misleading montage of a speech by US President Donald Trump, which prompted the broadcaster's director general, Tim Davey, to announce he would step down on 2 April.
Trump has sued the BBC for defamation and is seeking $10bn in damages. A federal judge has set the trial to begin in February 2027.