In a move that’s set to reshape the British media landscape, the publisher of the Daily Mail has entered exclusive talks to acquire the Telegraph Media Group, marking a dramatic new chapter for two of the country’s most influential right-leaning newspapers. The deal, valued at £500 million ($655 million), was announced on November 22, 2025, and, if finalized, will bring together the Daily Mail, The Telegraph, and their Sunday counterparts under the umbrella of the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT).
The negotiations, confirmed Saturday by DMGT, are the culmination of years of uncertainty swirling around the Telegraph’s ownership. For employees and readers alike, it’s a saga that has played out in boardrooms, Parliament, and the headlines, raising questions about editorial independence, foreign influence, and the future of trusted journalism in an increasingly digital world.
DMGT’s chairman, Jonathan Harmsworth—better known as Lord Rothermere—didn’t mince words about his ambitions for the storied broadsheet. "Under our ownership, the Daily Telegraph will become a global brand, just as the Daily Mail has," he stated, according to BBC. Rothermere also emphasized his long-standing admiration for The Telegraph, declaring, "My family and I have an enduring love of newspapers and for the journalists who make them. The Daily Telegraph is Britain's largest and best quality broadsheet newspaper, and I have grown up respecting it. It has a remarkable history and has played a vital role in shaping Britain's national debate over many decades."
The Telegraph, founded in 1855, has long been a pillar of British journalism, known for its influence on national politics and its steadfast support of the Conservative Party. The Daily Mail, meanwhile, is a populist tabloid with an enormous readership and a knack for shaping public opinion. The proposed merger, as The Guardian put it, would create "a right-leaning publishing powerhouse," sparking speculation about its potential impact on the political climate—especially with the rise of Reform UK and shifting allegiances in Parliament.
The road to this deal has been anything but smooth. The Barclay family, who had owned the Telegraph since 2004, lost control of the group in 2023 after failing to repay debts to Lloyds Banking Group. In a bid to recover its money, Lloyds put the Telegraph Media Group up for sale. The first serious buyer was RedBird IMI, a joint venture between New York-based RedBird Capital Partners and International Media Investments, a UAE-based firm owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Their acquisition was meant to help the Barclays settle their debts, but it quickly ran aground amid a storm of controversy.
Concerns about foreign ownership—specifically, the influence of Abu Dhabi—ignited a fierce debate in the House of Commons and across the British press. As then-Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer put it, "It would not be appropriate for a foreign state to interfere with the accurate presentation of our news or the freedom of expression in newspapers." The UK government responded by passing new legislation in 2024 that restricted foreign state investment in British media assets, effectively blocking RedBird IMI’s path to full ownership.
RedBird IMI tried to salvage the deal by proposing a revised structure, with Abu Dhabi’s involvement capped at 15 percent, but regulatory delays and persistent internal opposition from senior Telegraph figures led the consortium to withdraw its bid in November 2025. As Reuters reported, the regulatory clearance process had been "slower than expected," and doubts about the timeline and feasibility of the acquisition ultimately proved insurmountable.
With RedBird IMI stepping aside, DMGT moved swiftly to strike an agreement. The exclusivity period now in effect allows both parties to finalize terms and prepare the necessary regulatory submissions. DMGT has expressed confidence that the deal will be approved quickly. A spokesperson for RedBird IMI noted, "DMGT and RedBird IMI have worked swiftly to reach the agreement announced today, which will shortly be submitted to the Secretary of State."
Still, the transaction faces scrutiny from the UK’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who has promised a thorough review to ensure the public interest is protected and that the deal complies with legislation governing foreign state influence. "Any new acquisition will be reviewed to ensure it protects the public interest and complies with legislation on foreign state influence," Nandy stated, according to Sky News.
DMGT, for its part, has been eager to emphasize that no foreign state investment or capital is involved in the funding structure. "The transaction would comply with the UK's Foreign State Influence regime as there will be no foreign state investment or capital in the funding structure," the company said in a statement, as reported by The Financial Times. The publisher, controlled by the Rothermere family for over a century, also underscored its commitment to editorial independence. "DMGT places great emphasis on the editorial independence of its titles, and The Daily Telegraph would remain editorially independent from other titles in the group."
For Telegraph employees, the deal could bring much-needed stability after years of upheaval. DMGT has promised to invest significantly in the Telegraph’s newsroom and accelerate its international expansion, particularly in the United States, where the Daily Mail has already established a robust presence. "The company plans to invest substantially in TMG with the aim of accelerating its international expansion. It will focus particularly on the USA, where the Daily Mail is already successful, with established editorial and commercial operations," DMGT said in its official statement.
Industry observers are watching closely to see how the merger will play out. The Guardian has suggested that the creation of a larger, more powerful right-leaning media group could have political repercussions, especially as Labour eyes the next general election and Reform UK continues to build momentum. Some worry about the concentration of media power, while others see the move as a necessary adaptation to the challenges posed by global online platforms and the proliferation of unreliable digital news sources.
DMGT’s portfolio already includes The Mail on Sunday, Metro, The i Paper, and New Scientist, making it a formidable force in British media. If the deal is approved, The Telegraph will join this stable, but DMGT has pledged that its editorial independence will be preserved—and that the new ownership will secure the Telegraph’s future as a trusted source of news and analysis, both at home and abroad.
As the regulatory process unfolds, the British press—and the nation at large—waits to see whether this landmark deal will usher in a new era for one of the world’s most prestigious media brands, or simply the latest twist in an ongoing saga of power, politics, and the relentless evolution of the news business.
