Harman’s plan to force Murdoch to sell a newspaper – Media roundup: June 13th, 2013

Harriet Harman will use a speech on Thursday to suggest limiting the share of the newspaper market one person is allowed to own to below the “damaging” 30% mark, in what will be seen as a direct and renewed attack on Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch’s News International, which owns The Sun, The Sun on Sunday, The Times and The Sunday Times, controls around 37% of the market in the UK. Harman will say that a new limit, between 20% an 30%, should also include obligations on a media owner such as editorial independence, independent governance and promoting plurality in other ways. And she will suggest that a cap on newspaper market share should be accompanied by owners being limited to a 15% cap across the media as whole – including broadcast and online. For News International to comply with a 30% cap, Murdoch would likely have to sell one or more of his newspapers such as The Sun or The Times. – HuffPo

Employers face action to stop them exploiting workers with controversial “zero-hours” job contracts. The Business Secretary Vince Cable will today announce a review of the controversial contracts which offer people work but with no guaranteed hours, regular pay or job security. More than 200,000 workers in Britain are now on zero-hour deals, which are especially popular with fast food chains and high street stores. Some people like the contracts because they give them flexibility – but many find they are prevented from getting a second job or end up with no work even though they are contracted to be available for a set number of hours a week. Mr Cable said the Department for Business will now look at ways of making sure the contracts are not abused by firms. –  Mirror