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Newspaper Ownership

HugalHugal Shipmate
in Purgatory
The German company Axel Springer has bought the Telegraph here in the UK. They are a pro EU company in Berlin. The Telegraph leans quite to the right and supported Brexit and staying out. The company says that the paper will have editorial independence. One cannot help but wonder how much things will change anyway. Will there be some kind of influence by osmosis.
How much does ownership influence the editorial position of a newspaper? Do editors have a lot of independence?

Comments

  • DafydDafyd Hell Host
    As I understand it, Axel Springer also lean quite to the right - it's just in the German context that's compatible with supporting the EU.
  • LouiseLouise Epiphanies Host
    That's my understanding too.
  • Alan Cresswell Alan Cresswell Admin, 8th Day Host
    It seems that every time another newspaper (or other media outlet) gets bought up by some mega-rich individual or existing media empire the new owners talk about "editorial independence". I've yet to actually see it, though quite often the new owner bought that particular outlet because the existing editorial policy is in line with their views and nothing much changes.
  • EnochEnoch Shipmate
    Dafyd wrote: »
    As I understand it, Axel Springer also lean quite to the right - it's just in the German context that's compatible with supporting the EU.
    Dafyd wrote: »
    As I understand it, Axel Springer also lean quite to the right - it's just in the German context that's compatible with supporting the EU.
    There was no incompatibility between those positions in the UK until the morons grabbed the steering wheel after that wretched referendum in 2016.

  • HugalHugal Shipmate
    So do owners have influence? Do they buy a paper that matches their views?
    I love the irony of a pro Brexit paper being owned by a pro EU company.
  • ThunderBunkThunderBunk Shipmate
    Looking the other way round, the Daily Express being owned by the same company as the Daily Mirror has not changed the views expressed (no puns intended). It depends on whether they throw their weight around - look at what's happened to the Washington Post since Bezos bought it. It's been hollowed out and become a Trump-supporters' mouthpiece.
  • chrisstileschrisstiles Hell Host
    edited 5:02PM
    ThunderBunk wrote: »
    Looking the other way round, the Daily Express being owned by the same company as the Daily Mirror has not changed the views expressed

    The Express has moved away from outrage journalism towards more 'mainstream' rightwing positions over that time.
  • SandemaniacSandemaniac Shipmate
    chrisstiles wrote: »
    ThunderBunk wrote: »
    Looking the other way round, the Daily Express being owned by the same company as the Daily Mirror has not changed the views expressed

    The Express has moved away from outrage journalism towards more 'mainstream' rightwing positions over that time.

    Given that it's front page headline today was based on an utterance by Farage, I remain to be convinced.

    Mind you, I hold it in the same regard as the Mail*, so it's very rare I ever pay it any attention at all, I may just have spotted a particularly egregious front page.

    * ie I wouldn't wipe my arse with it for fear of defiling my shit.
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