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DMGT Enters $655M Talks to Buy The Daily and Sunday Telegraph — Ownership Battle Reignites

DMGT has opened talks to buy The Daily and Sunday Telegraph from RedBird IMI for $655 million. The purchaser, a joint venture between RedBird Capital Partners and UAE-based IMI, has previously faced government scrutiny over potential foreign influence. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy must sign off on any sale under public-interest safeguards. The titles' recent ownership history includes debt arrangements, a sale of The Spectator in 2024, and several failed takeover attempts.

09:33 AM, 11/23/2025Politics
DMGT Enters $655M Talks to Buy The Daily and Sunday Telegraph — Ownership Battle Reignites

Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) has opened negotiations to acquire The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph from RedBird IMI for $655 million, a move that would reunite two of Britain’s best-known broadsheets under a single owner.

Deal overview

The proposed transaction would see DMGT buy the titles from RedBird IMI, a joint venture between U.S.-based RedBird Capital Partners and UAE-based IMI. DMGT says talks are under way, but any final agreement remains subject to customary approvals and additional due diligence.

Regulatory scrutiny and political interest

The deal must be cleared by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who will assess whether the sale meets the public interest and safeguards against undue foreign state influence in the media. Past bids involving overseas investors prompted intense government scrutiny and led to earlier offers being withdrawn.

Recent ownership background

RedBird IMI first acquired a meaningful interest after the Barclay family put the titles up for sale following financial pressures in 2023. That position was reinforced by a debt arrangement that gave RedBird IMI an inside track to acquire the papers and related titles.

Subsequently, concerns about potential influence led to a blocked sale, and RedBird IMI later sold The Spectator to British investor Paul Marshall in 2024. Other proposed transactions — including a potential takeover by Dovid Efune and a revised plan that would have capped IMI’s share at 15% with British minority backing — ultimately did not proceed.

'The Daily Telegraph is Britain's largest and best quality broadsheet newspaper, and I have grown up respecting it,' DMGT chairman Jonathan Rothermere said, adding that the title has 'a remarkable history' and has helped shape national debate for decades.

What happens next

Negotiations are ongoing and any sale will require regulatory approval before completion. Observers say the outcome will hinge on assurances about editorial independence and limits on foreign-state influence. Stakeholders and readers will be watching closely as the government evaluates whether the proposed deal meets public-interest tests.

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DMGT Enters $655M Talks to Buy The Daily and Sunday Telegraph — Ownership Battle Reignites - CRBC News