News Corp’s BSkyB bid could hit credit rating March 3, 2011 NEWS Corp could have its credit rating cut if it is forced to bid more than 850p a share for BSkyB, according to analysts at Jefferies. Shares in the broadcaster closed last night at a record 823p – far ahead of its pre-recession peak of 713p – on the expectation of a much improved offer [...]
News Corp wins right to make Sky bid March 3, 2011 NEWS Corp yesterday won full approval to bid for the 61 per cent of Sky it does not already own. Culture minister Jeremy Hunt accepted an eleventh hour News Corp concession that it would spin-off Sky News into a separate, publicly-traded entity, in order to counter media plurality concerns. Hunt said he accepted the terms [...]
What becomes of Sky News post-takeover? March 3, 2011 IF News Corp goes ahead with its £8bn takeover of BSkyB it has agreed to spin off the loss-making Sky News channel as an independent company, which will have its shares publicly traded. As part of the deal, Rupert Murdoch has agreed to continue broadcasting Sky News for at least 10 years and provide it [...]
Liverpool the value to upset United’s title bid March 3, 2011 LIVERPOOL vs MANCHESTER UNITED SUNDAY – 1.30PM SKY SPORTS 1 ALL of a sudden everything isn’t quite as rosy as it was in the Old Trafford garden. Manchester United were as short as 4/9 to win the Premier League last weekend, but their second defeat in their last four league games at Stamford Bridge on [...]
Government gives green light to Murdoch BSkyB deal March 3, 2011 Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp took a huge step towards securing its prized £8bn buyout of BSkyB when the government accepted proposals designed to alleviate competition concerns. The move, which could still be challenged by media rivals in court, would allow News Corp to avoid a prolonged investigation and instead start negotiating the terms of the [...]
Murdoch in deal to buy all of BSkyB March 2, 2011 NEWS CORP’S buyout of BSkyB is set to be given the go-ahead this morning after it agreed to spin off the loss-making Sky News Channel, thereby avoiding a lengthy Competition Commission investigation. News Corp is expected to retain its current 39.1 per cent minority holding in Sky News while buying out 100 per cent of [...]
Ofcom sides with Virgin in the battle of the broadband March 1, 2011 OFCOM yesterday sided with Virgin in the broadband war, ruling that firms must advertise “typical” rather than “maximum” internet speeds. BT – the major loser from the ruling given its high proliferation in low-speed rural areas – said it has “real concerns” with the decision, which it said could encourage “digital exclusion”. Ofcom found that [...]
News Corp bid expected to get OFT go-ahead February 28, 2011 RUPERT Murdoch’s News Corp’s proposed £13.2bn takeover of of satellite broadcaster BSkyB is expected to get the go-ahead from secretary of state Jeremy Hunt by the end of this week, avoiding a full Competition Commission investigation. Senior BSkyB sources told City A.M. they expected Hunt to announce his decision as soon as this afternoon, which [...]
Falling in love with Gstaad February 27, 2011 I HAVE never liked the idea of skiing. I was raised strictly on a diet of city breaks and cultural immersion holidays. I thought that was the noble way forward, holiday-wise, until I went to Gstaad and stayed in the Grand Hotel Park. It might have helped that my baptism of Alpine leisure took place [...]
News Corp nears BSkyB deal with OFT February 24, 2011 RUPERT Murdoch’s News Corp is closing in on a deal with regulators over its £7.8bn bid for broadcaster BSkyB, sources said yesterday. The media group is close to agreeing a series of undertakings with the Office of Fair Trading that would satisfy its concerns that a takeover would unduly concentrate the UK’s media sector. The [...]