News Monopoly Feared

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30899, 4 November 1965, Page 17

News Monopoly Feared

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 3.

Political action was taken yesterday over the threatened closure of the general news service of one of Britain’s two domestic news agencies, the Exchange Telegraph Company.

Two Labour Members of Parliament tabled questions to be asked in the House of Commons calling for the closure to be referred to the Monopolies Commission. Sir Geoffrey de Freitas asked in his question whether the Government was aware of the danger of monopoly in some fields of news reporting.” Mr Hugh Jenkins complained that the only major

news agency left in the field would have a monopoly. Mr T. F. Watson, chairman of Exchange Telegraph, has said that the agency’s general news and Parliamentary services are being stopped because newspapers refuse to pay higher subscriptions to meet rising costs. Unions Protest

Trade unions affected have protested against the decision and are calling for a national campaign to prevent the creation of what they claim will be a single news agency monopoly.

Britain has a number of regional and specialised news agencies. Only two operate on a national basis circulating genera) and Parliamentary news—the Press Association (owned co-operatively by British newspapers) and Exchange Telegraph (privately owned).

Exchange Telegraph also 'distributes sports and financial

news and these services are to be continued.

The Monopolies Commission was set up by Parliament to investigate complaints of monopolistic tendencies in industry. It has no power to enforce its findings which are referred to the Board of Trade for Parliamentary action.