BB FANS

Murdoch prepares to tighten his grip
News Corporation's bid for Sky is a smart commercial move that will worry those who already fear its power

By Nick Clark - Independent

Opponents of News Corp takeover of BSkyB consider judicial review

Alliance of media groups including publishers of Daily Mail and Guardian regard Sky News remedy as 'pure window-dressing'
Guardian


Jeremy Hunt gives green light to Murdoch's plan to hive off Sky News in return for BSkyB takeover Mail


Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt approves News Corp plan to spin off Sky News
Jeremy Hunt, the Culture secretary, has approved plans by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation to spin off Sky News, clearing the way for its pRupert Murdoch BSkyB takeover gets closer

Proposed bid for 61pc of BSkyB that it does not already own. Telegraph


Rupert Murdoch BSkyB takeover gets closer

By Holly Williams, PA Independent


Rupert Murdoch BSkyB takeover gets government go ahead
BBC

Green Light For News Corp's Takeover

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that he plans to give News Corporation's BSkyB takeover the green light, after nearly four months of negotiations between the culture secretary, Rupert Murdoch's media company and regulators over spinning off Sky News.

Hunt said on today that News Corp's proposal for Sky News to be spun-off from Sky into an independent listed company should go ahead to allay plurality fears.

The culkture secretary added that since he gave the News Corp/Sky deal the provisional go ahead in March, a "more robust set of undertakings" had been agreed for the Sky News spin-off.

These extra undertakings will now be put out to further consultation, with a deadline of midday on Friday July 8 for interested parties to make submissions to Hunt.

The extra measures include having an independent director with senior journalism expertise present at Sky News board meetings where decisions on editorial matters are taken and a requirement for Sky to continue to cross-promote the 24 hour news service on its channels.

The other extra undertakings agreed during protracted negotiations between Hunt, News Corp, the Office of Fair Trading and Ofcom are for the appointment of a monitoring trustee whose main role is to ensure that News Corp complies with the undertakings in the run up to spin-off, and a requirement for Sky News' articles of association to be approved by the culture secretary.

Hunt said: "I have considered carefully the points raised and, as at all steps in this process, taken advice from the independent regulators. The regulators have confirmed that the proposed undertakings are still sufficient to ensure media plurality.

"I could have decided to accept the original undertakings but a number of suggestions were made in response to the consultation which could further strengthen the undertakings, particularly around editorial independence, business viability and the articles of association. I am therefore proposing some changes to the undertakings and I will now hold a further public consultation."

waveguide.co.uk

Phone Hacking and News International BSkyB Bid

The Prime Minister was asked today whether the latest phone hacking revelations would affect the bid by the News of the World's parent company News Corporation to take a majority stake in BSkyB.

David Cameron said he would not intervene as that was a decision being taken by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Claims that murdered teenager Milly Dowler's mobile telephone was hacked by a private investigator working for the News of the World (NoW) are "truly dreadful", the prime minister said.

Police are to meet executives from the paper to discuss allegations that Glenn Mulcaire hacked into Milly's voicemail when she was missing in 2002.

NoW parent firm News International said the development was of "great concern".

Speaking during a news conference broadcast from Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said the allegations were "quite shocking - that someone could do this, actually knowing that the police were trying to find this person and trying to find out what had happened".

He added: "If they are true, this is a truly dreadful act and a truly dreadful situation."

The Guardian has claimed Mulcaire intercepted messages left by relatives for the 13-year-old and said the NoW deleted some.

A lawyer for the Dowler family, Mark Lewis, said the alleged hacking dated from a time when the NoW had been under the editorship of Rebekah Brooks - now News International's chief executive.

Brooks stated today she would not resign.

waveguide.co.uk