News Corp's Sky takeover bid gets the green light from the EU

[Turborama]

Source: Media Tel

The European Commission has unconditionally approved News Corp's bid to acquire BSkyB. In a statement, Joaquin Almunia, EU Competition Commissioner, said: "I am confident that this merger will not weaken competition in the United Kingdom. The effects on media plurality are a matter for the UK authorities."

The Rupert Murdoch-owned company wants to buy the 61% of the pay-TV operator that is does not already own for £7.8 billion. However, independent directors at BSkyB, which operates the 24-hour channel Sky News and provides pay-TV, broadband and telephony services, have rejected News Corp's offer as too low.

News Corp officially notified the European Commission of its planned takeover bid on 3 November. The commission conducted an initial investigation before responding today. The statement did not refer to concessions offered by the News Corp earlier this month, indicating that it had not accepted them.

Ofcom will now examine the deal to investigate media plurality issues in the UK, focusing on content types, audiences, media platforms, control of media enterprise and future developments in the media landscape. The media regulator is expected to report back to business secretary Vince Cable by 31 December.

Cable will then decide whether to refer the issue to the Competition Commission.

Read more: http://mediatel.co.uk/newsline/2010/12/21/news-corps-sky-takeover-bid-gets-the-green-light-from-the-eu/

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This will help give some context to what's going on with the other "James O'Keefe-esque" story about Vince Cable that's been developing over the past couple of hours.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4668275">(Britain's Business Secretary) Vince Cable (says he has) 'Declared War' On Murdoch Empire

[fascisthunter]

1. so the fascist buys up the media so there is only one point of view heard everywhere

and everybody goes along with it all. I supposed it's what the powers to be want: right wing fascist garbage 24-7.

[BenzoDia]

2. Rupert Murdoch? Oh snap, son.

[and-justice-for-all]

3. Please contact the commissioner and tell him NO on the merger.

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/almunia/contact/commissioner/index_en.htm

[tomm2thumbs]

4. as the internet becomes more prevalent, this will look like buying Betamax or 8-Track players

BUT for the next 3-6 years, it'll have a terrible impact on what is covered in the UK - you'll see the right-winging of the country. It happens very quickly. Look how long it took FoxNews to sh*t all over this country? UK is much smaller and it will have a faster, deeper result in my opinion.

[mwooldri]

5. If the government removes the impartiality guidelines then yes...

... there will be problems. Big ones.

However if News Corp re-takes over BSkyB (Sky was once upon a time 100% NewsCorp) I hope that OFCOM wrestle the control of the EPG away from Sky. Unlike DirecTV, where they own and operate the satellites, BSkyB do not own their satellites - they lease the space from SES Astra (I believe). Anyone can lease space for the right price. The only barrier to widespread accessibility is getting onto the EPG - the electronic program guide - that gives them a channel number and a programming schedule. Sky runs and operates this system.

The BBC had a spat with Sky about this quite some time ago. They even went so far to set up with the other domestic broadcasters Freesat - a free to view satellite service that doesn't require equipment from Sky.

Murdoch can own Sky for all I care, except that the government must keep the impartiality regulations in place (despite what the BBC Head may say), and the EPG should be operated by a company totally independent and outwith Sky's control, so that any channel can apply to the EPG operator and request a channel number and ability to list programming.

[glinda]

6. Aw c'mon. You know they go for the whole enchilada. They do and win.

[slackmaster]

7. "Skynet became self-aware at 2:14am EDT August 29, 1997,"

French President Jaques Chirac said in a news conference. "Originally, it was feared that Skynet would launch a global thermonuclear war. Anyone not wearing two million sunblock would have a, how do you say in English, a 'real bad day'."