The government has launched a public interest investigation into Sky’s proposed acquisition of ITV’s media and entertainment business, citing concerns over media plurality, freedom of expression and the future provision of UK broadcasting services.

In a significant escalation of regulatory scrutiny, culture secretary Lisa Nandy issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice (PIIN) on 4 November, triggering investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Ofcom. Both regulators have been instructed to report their findings by 27 January 2027.

In the notice, Nandy said she believes several public-interest considerations "are relevant to a consideration of the relevant merger situation", including "the need for free expression of opinion in news media" and "the need for ... a sufficient plurality of views in news media".

The secretary of state also highlighted the importance of ensuring the continued availability of "a wide range of broadcasting and on-demand programmes" that are "of high quality and calculated to appeal to a wide variety of tastes and interests".

The investigation will examine whether the £1.6bn transaction could affect the diversity of viewpoints in news media, the number of organisations controlling media outlets and the availability of a wide range of high-quality broadcasting and on-demand programmes.

The inclusion of broadcasting and on-demand content as a specific public interest consideration broadens the scrutiny beyond traditional media plurality concerns, reflecting questions about the potential impact on the UK’s wider television and streaming landscape.

The intervention means the proposed takeover will face additional scrutiny alongside the competition assessment, with the investigation potentially leading to conditions or remedies, or preventing the deal from proceeding if concerns cannot be addressed.

The intervention follows a letter issued by Nandy in October in which she indicated she was "minded to" intervene and identified concerns relating to media plurality and the future availability of high-quality UK broadcasting services.

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