The NMA said: “We welcome the Government’s response today to the CMA’s market study into the digital advertising market which unearthed evidence of systematic anti-competitive behaviour and the detriment this is causing, not only to publishers but to advertisers and consumers.
“The NMA has called for a dedicated Digital Markets Unit to regulate the tech platforms and a code of conduct to govern the relationship between publishers and the platforms. This should include a statutory obligation for the platforms to carry and surface news publishers’ content and to pay for its use. We are pleased that the Government has accepted the CMA’s recommendations and committed to setting up the DMU and an enforceable code which will help underpin a sustainable future for journalism. We urge the government to implement these without delay.”