Time to implement media rules. (News).

Rarely does a day pass without the thorny issue of consolidation in the UK radio Industry rearing its head.

In August, the Government will receive final comments on its draft Communications Bill that is expected to become law in late 2003. On the issue of concentration of ownership of local commercial radio we have seen a complete u-turn by the Commercial Radio Companies Association and the "Big Five" radio groups, which are its most influential members.

About 18 months ago, these parties sat down with the Radio Authority and agreed a transparent process for future regulation that swept away the outdated points system in favour of a "three owners plus the BBC rule" in each local market.

Shortly after the Bill was published, the CRCA together with the "Big Five" started to lobby to change to "two owners plus the BBC" in each local market. If successful, the effects would be profound, with potentially only two commercial owners controlling all music nationally.

Cynics might argue the real reasons for the about-turn are the weaker than expected advertising market and the recent decline in share prices experienced by the "Big Five". In public, however, a variety of implausible explanations are being put forward including the Bill's proposal to remove non-EU ownership restrictions and even ...