NUJ expresses concern over proposed sale of Mayo News
Séamus Dooley, NUJ Irish Secretary, warns acquisition "undermines media plurality in Ireland".
The National Union of Journalists has expressed concern at the proposed acquisition of the Mayo News newspaper by Iconic Newspapers (Form Press Ltd) controlled by UK businessman Malcolm Denmark.
Speaking at an NUJ seminar in Dublin on 22 October, Séamus Dooley, Irish Secretary warned that the company is a dominant player in the Irish regional newspaper sector and said the union believes the acquisition of the Mayo News “undermines media plurality in Ireland.”
Dooley said:
“The sale is subject to the approval of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the NUJ will be insisting on a rigorous process of investigation. We believe that the Commission must use the full range of powers, given the scale of the company’s stranglehold on a significant portion of the print and digital news sector.
“We are opposing the acquisition of the Mayo News by Iconic. If the purchase is given the green light by the CCPC there will be a responsibility on the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to use her powers under the Competition and Consumer Act to order an investigation into the proposed acquisition.
The BAI can be asked to carry out an investigation, referred to as a Phase 2 investigation.”
Among the titles owned by Iconic are the Limerick Leader Newspaper, Kilkenny People/ KilkennyLive.ie, Donegal Democrat, Midland Tribune/Tullamore Tribune, Leinster Express and Leinster Leader.