We welcome Harriet Harman’s comments on the need to introduce some tough rules on media ownership in order to challenge the unaccountable power of our biggest media companies. Indeed, we have already tabled similar proposals both to the Leveson Inquiry and the ongoing Lords Select Committee inquiry into media plurality. We are now about to publish a new report into media ownership in the UK, The Elephant in the Room: a survey of media plurality in the United Kingdom since 2010, and have organised a public rally for media reform in central London this Monday 17 June at 7pm. Monday June 17th, 7pm University of Westminster, 309 Regent St, London W1 The Media Reform Coalition was set up in September 2011 to coordinate the contribution by civil society groups, academics and media campaigners to debates around media regulation, ownership and democracy in the wake of the phone hacking scandal. Since its inception, the Coalition has played a key role in highlighting issues of media democracy and accountability to the Leveson Inquiry and to ongoing investigations into plurality and press regulation. Speakers at the rally on June 17th will talk about the need to diversify media ownership, to secure an ethical and independent press and to reinvigorate local news media. Speakers include:

• Owen Jones, columnist and author of Chavs
• Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary of NUJ
• Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party
• Murat Akser, chair of the New Media department at Kadir Has University, Istanbul
• Justin Schlosberg, Media Reform Coalition and author of Power beyond Scrutiny
• Helen Belcher, Trans Media Watch

For more information, please visit www.mediareform.org.uk. Email: info@mediareform.org.uk Twitter: @mediareformUK