A diet of Disney alone is not good for children, say Lib Dems

A Bill that would allow a news group like Rupert Murdoch's to buy Channel 5 can expect a rough ride in parliament, the government has been warned.

The Communications Bill, which has started its committee stage in the House of Lords, would also allow non-European companies to buy ITV and Channel 5 franchises.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has denied "conspiracy theories" that the bill was about Rupert Murdoch - saying that it also cleared the way for the owners of the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror.

I want my children to see children's programmes which have definite British content and identity because that's part of their cultural heritage Lord McNally Lib Dem peer

But Labour peer and film maker Lord Puttnam accused the government of "tying itself up in knots" over the legislation.

It was necessary sometime to "prise the government and, from time to time, the opposition frontbench away from some of the more unnecessary destructive positions they appear to have adopted".

Another Labour peer, writer and broadcaster Lord Bragg, said that just because a huge new number of channels were now available it did not mean the UK's core motivation of "public interest broadcasting" should be surrendered.

"The sudden arrival of multi-channels and the clatter of media mega corporations should not break our lines.

"Just because something is there does not mean it is good or helpful."

Changing landscape

Lord Bragg added that volcanoes and earthquakes were a "good metaphor" for the revolution in TV in the past 10 to 15 years.

The government says the bill is not about favours for anyone

He added: "The landscape may have changed but the people have not much, not in terms of public interest which is even more precious than before and which is why I so emphatically support this amendment."

But Culture Minister Baroness Blackstone insisted that the government had listened and responded to concerns about the Bill.

"There are circumstances in which consumer interests are weighed by the interests of the wider community."

Earlier Ms Jowell said that the government's aim was to liberalise ownership rules while tightening "quality control" to avoid the apparent decline in quality seen after deregulation in the US.

The government says it will provide "lighter touch" regulation from new agency Ofcom, making the communications industry more dynamic and competitive.

The Conservatives support the foreign ownership changes and want the government to go further in liberalising markets, relying on competition as the best regulator.

Conservative former minister Lord Fowler said: "For all the reasons that Lord Puttnam and all the others have advanced that it must be the public interest that is the paramount interest, the consumer, the ordinary man in the street, which must be the overwhelming interest as far as the duties placed upon Ofcom."

Lib Dem peer Lord McNally told BBC News Online on Tuesday that he feared the plans would lead to the Americanisation of British TV.