Culture secretary is minded to intervene in DMGT's £500 million bid for the Telegraph on public-interest grounds and to refer the deal to Ofcom and the CMA to assess media plurality and competition concerns.

Nandy has not made a final decision and has invited written representations from the Telegraph and DMGT, with a deadline around late January for responses.

The intervention would focus on whether the deal would lessen plurality of ownership and reduce distinct viewpoints available to newspaper readers.

DMGT asserts editorial independence in the deal, with teams to stay separate and plans to invest to grow the Telegraph titles into a global brand.

A formal minded-to intervention note signals a potential public-interest investigation, with responses due after the invitation for representations.

The Telegraph was up for sale after a previously blocked bid, and DMGT secured funding to proceed with the acquisition.

RedBird IMI, a joint venture of RedBird Capital Partners and International Media Investments, has controlled the Telegraph since 2023, with ownership changes tied to regulatory shifts.

The Telegraph sale has a history of regulatory and ownership changes, including a forced sale in 2024 and an existing DMGT advertising contract on Telegraph titles.

Intervention considerations center on competition and plurality, specifically whether ownership concentration would reduce diverse views for readers.

Nandy’s concerns emphasize whether the acquisition would impact the plurality of ownership and the availability of varied viewpoints to the public.

If pursued, the intervention could result in a public-interest notice initiating an investigation of up to 40 working days, focusing on plurality and potential public-interest issues.

Both the Telegraph and DMGT were contacted for comment.