Advanced Television

Government undecided on News Corp-BSkyB review

September 16, 2010

The UK government has not yet decided whether to refer for review the proposed takeover of pay-TV group BSkyB by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, it said, responding to a report a review was likely.

The BBC said Business Secretary Vince Cable was likely to ask the media regulator Ofcom to look at the impact of any takeover and whether it would reduce the plurality of voices within the British media sector.

News Corp, which has said it wants to buy the 61 per cent of the dominant pay-TV group it does not already own, also owns British newspapers The Sun, sister paper the News of the World and the Times and Sunday Times.

“The Secretary of State has not made a decision on this matter — indeed at this stage there is not even a decision for him to take,” the Department for Business said in a statement. “We will not be speculating on this issue.”

Other posts by Nik Roseveare:

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Business, M&A, Pay TV