UUP and DUP differ on newspaper takeover

The Ulster Unionist Party and the DUP have offered differing responses to the takeover of the Belfast Telegraph group by Dr Tony O'Reilly's Independent News and Media group.

Mr John Taylor, the UUP deputy leader, who himself is involved in the provincial newspaper business, initially expressed misgivings about the deal but yesterday said that almost all of his concerns had been addressed.

The DUP Assembly member, Mr Ian Paisley jnr, said he was worried about the future editorial policy of the Belfast Telegraph.

Mr Taylor said he was pleased that the Belfast Telegraph and its Sunday title Sunday Life would be maintained as one group, and that its printing jobs would remain in Belfast.

"We are pleased that there will be no transfer of all or even part of the printing of the Belfast Tele- graph to the Independent's new printing press in Dublin," he added.

"We were opposed to the Independent Group establishing a dominant position in the press in the context of the island of Ireland.

"We welcome the fact that there will be no joint advertising sales involving Dublin and Belfast publications, and that therefore the advertising agencies and jobs which they provide in Belfast will now be secured," said Mr Taylor.

Mr Paisley expressed concerns about the editorial line the Belfast Telegraph and the Sunday Life would take.

While the Independent group agreed to establish a representative board of directors for the Belfast Telegraph, "that board could be hired and fired at will, in six months or six years".

He feared that ordinary independent newspapers were coming under constant threat from media magnates.

"Generally I regret independent newspapers falling into the hands of big-time proprietors, whether big-time Irish entrepreneurs or big-time Australian entrepreneurs," Mr Paisley said.

Mr Derek Carvell, managing director of the Belfast Telegraph, said: "We are delighted to be joining one of the world's leading newspaper groups, which owns many prestigious titles in various countries and is the leading newspaper publisher in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

"The Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life are also market leaders and I am confident of their future development under the ownership of Independent News and Media.

"We also have one of the top newspaper Internet sites in the UK and we will continue to develop this side of our operations."