YouView hires Lord Sugar March 7, 2011 LORD SUGAR yesterday joined the board of online TV venture YouView as chairman, after his predecessor Kip Meek left the group suddenly after just eight months. YouView, a joint venture between broadcasters and internet providers, said Amstrad founder Sugar had been hired to inject some media experience into the boardroom. Meek said: “It has been [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
TalkTalk refunds £2.5m February 28, 2011 Ofcom says its investigation into TalkTalk and Tiscali has resulted in almost £2.5m in refunds and good will payments after thousands of consumers were incorrectly billed for cancelled services. Ofcom opened an investigation into TalkTalk and Tiscali UK in July last year following complaints from over 1,000 consumers. Ofcom is now pushing for changes that [...]
Hunt delays decision on News Corp bid January 25, 2011 CULTURE minister Jeremy Hunt has stalled his decision over the future of News Corp’s £7.8bn bid for Sky. Hunt says he will give News Corp more time to prove its bid will not have an adverse affect on media plurality before referring it to the Competition Commission. Media watchdog Ofcom has filed a report highlighting [...]
WHAT THE TWO SIDES SAY January 25, 2011 Sky “Ofcom’s analysis is deficient. The deal will have minimal impact on consumers and would not enhance News Corporation’s ability to influence the news” “News Corp alleges that Ofcom did not have an open mind when considering the issue of plurality. This allegation is without foundation.” TIME LINE | TWISTS AND TURNS OF THE BID [...]
Government warns News Corp over BSkyB bid probe January 25, 2011 The government said it was thinking about referring News Corp’s proposed £7.5bn buyout of BSkyB for a prolonged investigation. The media regulator had examined the deal over fears it would give News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch too much influence over the media and public opinion. The government said that Ofcom had recommended that the deal should [...]
Police look at Brown claims January 23, 2011 THE News of the World phone-hacking scandal continued to gather pace yesterday, with Gordon Brown asking police to investigate whether he was targeted. The former Prime Minister expressed concerns his messages may have been intercepted between 2005 and 2007, when he was chancellor. Energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne ramped up pressure on News [...]
BT told to lower prices January 20, 2011 BT came under fire yesterday as telecoms regulator Ofcom said it should make “significant reductions” to the wholesale price of its broadband to boost internet uptake in rural areas. Ofcom has proposed BT cut the price it charges other internet service providers to lease its broadband infrastructure by more than ten per cent in areas [...]
Independent trust could run Sky News to ease News Corp takeover January 20, 2011 News Corp could set up an independent body to run Sky News in a bid to smooth the way for its £7.8bn Sky bid. Critics of the bid say media plurality would be harmed if Rupert Murdoch’s firm snaps up the 61 per cent of Sky it does not already own. Culture and media secretary [...]