UK to ban foreign state ownership of British newspapers

The U.K. announced on March 13 that it plans to bar overseas governments from owning British newspapers, a move that could scupper the contentious Abu Dhabi-led takeover of the Telegraph Media Group.

Stephen Parkinson, a Media Minister, announced in the upper-chamber House of Lords that the Conservative government would amend proposed legislation so that it “prevents foreign state ownership of newspapers”.

A government spokesperson added that the move would “deliver additional protections for a free press, a pillar of our democracy”.