Government intervenes in Sky’s £1.6bn ITV takeover

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has formally intervened in Sky s £1.6bn takeover of ITV s broadcasting business after raising concerns over its impact on media competition and the diversity of British news. Nandy confirmed on Wednesday that she had issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice (PIIN), instructing the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and media regulator Ofcom to look into the proposed deal. Both watchdogs have until 27 January to report their findings, after which Nandy will decide whether to order a more detailed investigation. Having fully considered their representations, I have decided to issue a Public Interest Intervention Notice , Nandy said. It follows her warning last month that the merger could threaten freedom of expression and the diversity of views in news media. Nandy also confirmed plans to extend existing media merger legislation to cover streaming services, bringing on-demand platforms under the same considerations as traditional broa