Friday 04 March 2011, AM
Media Talk podcast: Hunt approves News Corp plan for Sky News
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Reaction to Sky News spin-off - Telegraph
I think the deal is going to close sooner than expected, perhaps in Q2, and it also tells us that Rupert Murdoch is very keen to get this deal done. We think he will use his digital newspapers as a way to differentiate his broadband product. It's worth billions to his balance sheet so if he has to warehouse or spin off Sky News for a period, he's happy to do that. - telegraph.co.uk
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Jeremy Hunt gives Rupert Murdoch's Sky News hive off for BSkyB plan green light - Mail Online
Jeremy Hunt said he accepted that a plan to spin off Sky News as an independent company would prevent the tycoons News Corporation getting too tight a grip on the British media if the 8billion takeover goes ahead. Labour attacked Mr Hunt for what it called a politically motivated U-turn, pointing out that just weeks ago he had said he intended to order a full-scale competition probe. Yesterday Mr Hunt insisted News Corp had moved a very long way from its original offer and spinning off Sky News would mean it had less control of news media, not more. - dailymail.co.uk
www.dailymail.co.ukFT.com / UK / Business - Investors mobilise to raise BSkyB price
Printed from http//www.ft.com/cms/s/0/91be86a6-45c4-11e0-acd8-00144feab49a.html Print a single copy of this article for personal use. - ft.comwww.ft.comSTV joins forces with Channel 6 for local TV bid - Scotsman.com Business
- business.scotsman.com
business.scotsman.comMurdoch wants to turn Sky News into right-wing news channel like Fox (contd. p94) - John Rentoul - Indepen
Dozens of left-wing people across north London warned their lives would be rendered hollow and meaningless unless Murdoch was given free rein to turn Sky into an ultra-right wing news channel pumping Christian free-market hate ideology into the homes of millions of lower middle class sheep. Hunt then rose to point out that Lewis had not said whether the Opposition were for or against the deal. Labour were completely unable to summon up the beginnings of any sort of case against the deal. - blogs.independent.co.ukblogs.independent.co.uk
Big question now is just how independent stand-alone Sky News will be - The Irish Times - Fri, Mar 04, 2011
- irishtimes.com
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Media rivals cry foul as Murdoch wins battle for full control of BSkyB - TV Radio, Media - The In
Ofcom, the media regulator, had voiced concerns that the deal threatened media plurality in the UK, but supported News Corp's Sky News proposal after the company agreed to the idea of an independent chairman. Mr Neil said that rival publishers feared they would no longer be able to compete with News Corp. I was never that concerned about the BSkyB takeover. - independent.co.uk
www.independent.co.uk
Jeremy Hunt gives News Corp green light to launch £8bn bid for BSkyB - Media - The Guardian
Then in private negotiations last month Hunt said the concession still did not quite go far enough. A day later, a letter from James Murdoch amounted to confirmation that Britain's biggest media merger could now go through. BSkyB's share price soared to 822p following yesterday's green light, in expectation of News Corporation having to table a vastly improved offer on the 700p proposal made in June. - guardian.co.uk
www.guardian.co.uk
After Vince Cable's loose talk, victory for Rupert Murdoch was assured - Dan Sabbagh - Media - The Guardian
The outcome is that Rupert Murdoch has been asked to make a modest sacrifice in spinning off the small, 60m-turnover Sky News. The cold reality is that the enlarged News Corporation will be the largest private media company Britain has ever seen. Come 2015, when the next general election is due, News Corp is expected to have a turnover of over 9bn. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
Media plurality: The law and its loopholes - Editorial - Comment is free - The Guardian
If there is a less surprising sentence in the English language it would be good to know of it. As a result of Jeremy Hunt's announcement yesterday the American media tycoon is virtually certain to end up owning a monster British media company spanning broadcasting, newspapers and film and sports rights together with the distribution channels through which the content is piped. If the government doesn't understand why this makes a great many people nervous it is either being disingenuous or dishonest. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
In pursuit of Jeremy Hunt - Simon Hoggart's sketch - Politics - The Guardian
Had the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, given way to Rupert Murdoch as a payback for the Sun's support at the last election campaign Nobody could quite bring themselves to believe that it was a rational decision based on wide consultations. This is a reference to Lord Patten. On 21 December, Vince Cable had been stripped of responsibilities for broadcasting. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukThursday 03 March 2011, PM
The Sky News spinoff: muddled meddling or craven capitulation? - Head to head - Comment is free - guardian.co.uk
News Corporation is set to spin off Sky News to clear the way for a purchase of the 61 of BSkyB shares it doesn't already own. Sky News will have a majority of independent directors but BSkyB has always had that. Sky News viewers are now being punished for their loyalty by having their service detached from the powerful engine of BSkyB. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
BBC News - Sky News: Murdoch allowed to take over BSkyB
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so. - bbc.co.uk
www.bbc.co.ukSky News journalists fear spin-off will reduce channel's influence - Media - The Guardian
Rupert Murdoch has been known to describe Sky News as 'BBC light'. Photograph Rex Features In the corridors of Sky News the mood was subdued. Journalists at Britain's first 24-hour news channel know that being a fully owned part of Sky was what gave them extra influence a Murdoch link that ensured they would not be ignored in Westminster and elsewhere in the media. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukNews Corporation/BSkyB merger: the timeline - Media - guardian.co.uk
Jeremy Hunt took responsibility for the decision in December 2010. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
Murdoch moves step nearer BSkyB takeover - TV Radio, Media - The Independent
The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was minded to wave through the takeover by News Corporation after the media giant offered to make the channel into a separate independent company and subsidise it for a decade. The new conditions are subject to a 15-day public consultation period, but an alliance of other media organisations has already indicated it is ready to take legal action to block the arrangement. News Corp has yet to agree a takeover price with BSkyB after its initial 700p-a-share bid, which valued the business at 12.3 billion, was rejected for being too low. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukThis Sky News plan is good not just for Rupert Murdoch - Steve Hewlett - Comment is free - guardian.co.uk
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp plans to buy the 61 of BSkyB it doesnt already own. For a start there are the widespread if hotly disputed concerns about the increased concentration of media ownership and undue proprietorial influence extending across from News International's newspapers to Sky News were they all to come under 100 common ownership. Then there is the much less discussed question of what would have become of Sky News had it been separated completely as some schemes would have had it from the rest of BSkyB. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBenjamin Cohen on Technology - Whitewash ? Hunt had to accept Murdoch Sky deal and Murdoch s not th
They also fail to realise that the revolution in digital journalism has diminished the power Murdoch once had. Jeremy Hunt had to make a decision on a very specific remit, would News Corporation gain too great a share of the supply and consumption of news in the UK if it owned all of Sky The issue was therefore solely relating to Sky News and no other knock on impact of the acquisition. - blogs.channel4.com
blogs.channel4.comSky News is Rupert Murdoch's greatest triumph in Britain - Media - guardian.co.uk
Sky News is 'Rupert Murdoch best contribution to the British media scene'. This is why I believe it is wrong and damaging that it has been dragged into the fraught settlement over media plurality and concentration, as News Corporation negotiates terms for a full takeover of BSkyB. The structural solution outlined today, which will see it hived off into a separate company with News Corp holding a 39.1 stake, may suit the lawyers and negotiators. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukU-turn by Hunt will raise further concerns about transparency - The Labour Party
Labour promises rigorous scrutiny of plan for new Sky News company and expresses continued concern about transparency of the decision-making process. Four weeks ago, he was minded to refer the deal to the Competition Commission. During the consultation process we will engage with all parties to scrutinise the details of the proposal to turn Sky News into a listed company. - labour.org.uk
www.labour.org.ukBSkyB head Jeremy Darroch welcomes Sky News spinoff plan - Media - guardian.co.uk
The company will be independently funded for 10 years with News Corp to hold a stake of 39.1 with the remainder held by investors in BSkyB. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. To find out more information about driving traffic to your content or to place this widget on your site, visit outbrain.com. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
Rupert Murdoch and the BSkyB takeover: how powerful will it make him? - Media - guardian.co.uk
- guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukThe Courier - Highland Perthshire radio listeners asked to support Freeview BBC radio campaign
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BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - Archive on 4, Murdoch at 80
The other that he is the champion of the free market that opened up British media from the stifling grip of unions. To mark the 80th birthday of the world's most controversial media baron, Steve Hewlett will attempt to get the inside story of the man behind the headlines, by talking to some of his harshest rivals, as well as his closest collaborators. In 1931, Murdoch was born to a wealthy media family in Melbourne, Australia. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukOpponents of News Corp takeover of BSkyB consider judicial review - Media - guardian.co.uk
It is a deal too far, it is a deal that should not be done. The deal if done will lead to irrevocable consequences. It is understood that the alliance of media groups, which includes Guardian Media Group, publisher of the Guardian, is taking legal advice to consider options including a judicial review. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukRupert Murdoch's BSkyB win: the damage is to the coalition - Michael White - Politics - guardian.co.uk
Before we get too horrified over the spectacle of Rupert Murdoch getting his wicked way with the fair maiden BSkyB, it is important to get things in perspective and remember that he will be 80 next week. The real damage is to David Cameron, Vince remember him Cable and the coalition. I have nothing personal against the old ruffian, though he has contributed greatly to the coarsening of public life both in Britain through his tabloids and in the United States, notably via Fox News. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukRadio Today.. with RCS: Radio groups join TV plan
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radiotoday.co.ukThursday 03 March 2011, AM
News Corp-BSkyB merger talks to resume
C21Media.net is Everything about content in the 21st Century, from television to web, mobile, tablet and beyond. - c21media.net
www.c21media.netBBC - Peston's Picks: Why Jeremy Hunt is allowing BSkyB takeover
Huge changes to the landscape of the British media industry are being heralded today. Sky News would be 61 owned by outside investors, and 39 owned by News Corp - reflecting the current ownership structure of BSkyB. Even so there will be a storm of protest that Mr Hunt is allowing the deal. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukSTV joins bid for new national TV channel - Media - guardian.co.uk
On Wednesday, ITV chief executive Adam Crozier said the broadcaster had also not submitted an expression of interest ahead of the deadline. The group sees it as an opportunity to challenge the BBC in radio and television in local markets and is promising lifestyle programming. The group is proposing a national digital terrestrial channel, with programmes that celebrate localism. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukITV admits Daybreak has underperformed - Media - guardian.co.uk
Daybreak Tony Blair with Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley. However, according to Barb figures, Daybreak's average audience since it premiered on 6 September has been 800,000, an 18.5 share. During the same period the previous year 6 September 2009 to 22 February 2010 GMTV drew an average of 900,000 viewers, a 23.4 audience share. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
ITV to plough £6m into digital channels revamp - News - Broadcast
It takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
www.broadcastnow.co.ukRupert Murdoch gets his way with Sky News spin off - Media - guardian.co.uk
He will be allowed to take over all of BSkyB, in return for the relatively modest concession of being held back at a 39.1 shareholding in the newly independent Sky News Ltd. From a Sky News point of view that's pretty much the status quo - News Corp, after all, owns 39.1 of the whole of the Sky company today. The pill he has had to swallow is to concede that the chairman of Sky News Ltd will be independent. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukHunt approves News Corp plan for Sky News - Media - guardian.co.uk
Under the deal, the loss-making news subsidiary will be spun off into a new publicly listed company called Newco, and will be independently funded for 10 years. News Corporation is to license the Sky News brand to the operation for seven years, providing an incentive to renew a second funding deal. News Corporation will have a 39.1 stake in the venture with the other shareholders made up of existing investors in BSkyB. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukMurdoch set to get his way as bid for BSkyB nears approval - TV Radio, Media - The Independent
News Corporation already owns 39 per cent of Sky, and an announcement could be made as early as today, that its bid for the remainder will not be referred to competition authorities. In the anticipated trade-off, News Corp would relinquish control of Sky News, which would be hived off into a trust with independent directors, along with representatives of News Corp. It would be subject to a 15-day consultation process. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukITV on course to rejoin blue-chip stocks - Business - The Guardian
ITV shows such as The X Factor have helped revive advertising revenue and profits. Britain's largest commercial broadcaster reported profits before tax of 286m for last year, 11 times the 25m it made in recession-hit 2009, with total revenues reaching 2bn, driven by a market-beating 16 increase in TV advertising. ITV, which was buoyed up enough by the financial outlook to reinstate a dividend payment for its interim results in July, said that advertiser confidence had continued into the first quarter of 2011 with ad revenues on track to be up by 12 year-on-year. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukRupert Murdoch offers to 'spin off' Sky News for BSkyB deal - Media - The Guardian
Rupert Murdoch's 'spin off' concession is intended to demonstrate the independence of Sky News. Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, who took control of the approval process from the business secretary, Vince Cable, is expected to approve the 8bn purchase on Thursday, according to sources at Westminster. If spun off, Sky News, which is loss making, will be separately governed and funded by a long-term promise of payments understood to be over a 10 year-period from News Corporation. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukSky's the limit - Business - guardian.co.uk
Ferguson is chairman of the independents and the man who may soon be sitting down with the Murdochs to talk price. The facts Sky's recent trading, BSkyB's stock price and the independents' past statements suggest he should be demanding much more than the 700p-a-share that News Corporation has previously argued is sweet and reasonable for a full takeover. Well, 10 would not be ridiculous given that cash will soon be flowing out of BSkyB at a rate of 1bn-plus a year the big investment hump of high-definition telly has been cleared. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukWednesday 02 March 2011, PM
BBC - Peston's Picks: Murdoch's offer to sell Sky News
As a result News Corp is likely to get the green light for the takeover from Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, possibly as soon as tomorrow. Since then, however, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has made a proposal designed to remedy the harm identified by Ofcom from the deal. So in what News Corp sees as a significant concession and sacrifice, it has offered to sell Sky News. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC - BBC Internet Blog: BBC Media Player update: fix for LSO "Flash cookies" issue
In coming weeks we'll be rolling the player out across the whole of BBC Online to enable smoother, better quality playback experience for users. I am pleased to say that all LSO issues are now resolved with this release. Although the new Media Player has broadly similar functionality to the current version, the design has changed significantly, as has the codebase, and this is a good opportunity to explain our decision for taking time to rewrite the Media Player and highlight the improvements made. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukDon't get left behind - Evening Times - News - Editor's Picks
On June 22, the analogue television signal will be turned off and people without the equipment needed to receive digital television will be unable to watch their favourite programmes. Every viewer, even those who already have Freeview boxes, will have to retune their digital equipment. For those viewers who have not yet enjoyed digital TV, the digital revolution means more channels, a wider choice of programmes and enhanced digital services, such as the red button, which can offer more choices of coverage with additional live football matches and alternative commentary. - eveningtimes.co.uk
www.eveningtimes.co.ukAvaaz - UK: STOP RUPERT MURDOCH
In 48 hours, nearly half the British mass media could be bought by one of the world's worst media moguls. He undermines democratic government across the world by threatening elected leaders with vicious and often false media coverage unless they do his bidding. Britain plays a key role in Europe and the world. - avaaz.org
www.avaaz.orgCareful of those figures, eRadio - James Cridland
Moving on from yesterdays example, the above is a quote from the usually excellent eRadio newsletter to get yours, register towards the bottom of this page at RadioToday. Its difficult to read this paragraph any other way. As Grant says, the vast majority of listening 81.8, he says on a digital radio is to a radio station thats also available on analogue. - james.cridland.net
james.cridland.netBBC - About the BBC: In broadcasting, the future is not what it used to be
In 2005, most predictions suggested up to half of TV viewing would be time-shifted. Broadcasters were to be assaulted from all angles - the internet, tech start-ups digital television and citizen journalists. Today asynchronous viewing accounts for as little as 10 of total TV viewing. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukWednesday 02 March 2011, AM
BBC's global iPlayer app to cost less than $10 a month - Media - guardian.co.uk
The international iPlayer iPad app will also give subscribers access to BBC archive programming. In addition, in January 162m programmes an average of six per household were downloaded via the iPlayer in the UK. His figures showed viewers born in the 1960s and 1970s when they were aged 10 watched around 21 hours a week of television for total television, compared with 16 hours a week for those born in 1995. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukLuke Johnson and Paul Jackson team to bid for new national TV channel - Media - guardian.co.uk
Luke Johnson the former Channel 4 chairman is one of the key names behind Local6's bid. Their group, Local6, is the ninth bidder to publicly declare an interest in running the channel, which is intended to provide a national spine for Hunt's initiative to create a new network of local TV services. Johnson, the entrepreneur and former Pizza Express owner, stepped down as Channel 4 chairman at the end of 2009. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukITV profit triples after TV ad surge - Media - guardian.co.uk
The X Factor helped to boost ad revenues at ITV. ITV, which said that it planned to reinstate a dividend payment at its interim results in July, has seen its share price rise 2.6p, just over 3, to 88p in early trading off the back of the positive results. The broadcaster said that the strong market has continued into the first quarter with revenues on track to be up 12, with April set to be up between 8 and 12 thanks to the Royal Wedding and Easter. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
Rupert Murdoch to fund hived-off Sky News in bid remedy - Telegraph
The media giant made a 700p-a-share, 7.8bn bid for the remaining shares in June, which was rejected. A deal valuing BSkyB shares at somewhere between 800p and 850p a share is expected. A full-blown sale of Sky News has been viewed as difficult, as the satellite channel is losing more than 30m a year. - telegraph.co.ukwww.telegraph.co.ukBBC Radio 4 Extra is coming - James Cridland
Radio 4 Extra will not be fundamentally different to Radio 7, Tim writes. My initial feeling is one of disappointment whenever I tune into Radio 7, its some to me unfunny 1950s radio comedy, or an inpenetrable bit of drama. In a sense, this is a small tweak to BBC Radio 7 and a name-change, rather than a rather more far-reaching rebuild. - james.cridland.netjames.cridland.netpick a page