Apr 10 2017
The £11.7bn deal “raises no competition concerns”, the European Commission has decided. The European Commission has given its approval for 21st Century Fox to pursue its takeover of Sky plc, the owner of Sky News. Fox already owns a 39% controlling stake in Sky, but is bidding to buy the remainder of the company. The […]
Mar 29 2017
UK comms regulator Ofcom has launched a consultation on detailed proposals for how it will regulate the BBC’s performance under its new Royal Charter, which outlines how it should deliver for audiences. Ofcom becomes the first independent, external regulator of the BBC on April 3rd. Its role is to hold the Corporation to account against […]
Mar 27 2017
BT is to be fined £42 million (€48.5m) for what regulator Ofcom describes as a “serious” breach of its rules, after the company reduced compensation payments to other telecoms providers for late installations. The penalty is a result of an investigation by Ofcom into BT’s infrastructure arm, Openreach. BT has apologised “wholeheartedly” for the mistakes. […]
Mar 16 2017
Karen Bradley, the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, is to refer 21st Century Fox’s bid to acquire the 61 per cent of pay-TV operator Sky it does not already own to the European Commission on grounds of media plurality and adherence to broadcasting standards. In a formal Intervention Notice, Bradley said […]
Mar 10 2017
BT and Ofcom have reached agreement on a long-term regulatory settlement that will see the telco’s infrastructure unit Openreach become a distinct, legally separate company with its own Board, within the BT Group. The agreement is based upon voluntary commitments submitted by BT that the regulator has said meet its competition concerns. Once the agreement […]
Mar 7 2017
Karen Bradley, the UK Culture Secretary, has expressed concerns about corporate governance at News Corporation and breaches of broadcasting standards by 21st Century Fox. Speaking in the House of Commons, Bradley who had previously said that she was “minded” to refer 21st Century Fox’s proposed takeover of Sky to media regulator Ofcom, saying that she […]
Feb 10 2017
A group of UK cross-party politicians has called for Ofcom to launch a review into 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch’s suitability to hold a UK broadcasting licence. The move comes in the wake of Fox’s proposed £11.7 billion (€13.7 billion) bid for the 61% of international pay TV group Sky that it does not […]
Dec 15 2016
Broadcaster Sky and 21st Century Fox have reached agreement on the terms of a takeover deal. Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox will pay £11.7bn for the 61% stake it does not already own. Sky shareholders will receive £10.75 in cash for each share, valuing the entire company at £18.5bn. The deal comes amid concerns that […]
Nov 9 2016
Ofcom has confirmed a number of changes to the technical code for Freeview, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 now free to choose a lower picture resolution on their Freeview standard definition channels. The technical code was the subject of a consultation earlier this year, with the document needing to be updated to remove references […]
Sep 14 2016
ESTV Limited currently operates a local television service in the London area known as ‘London Live’. It has requested that Ofcom change some of the programming commitments for that service. Broadly speaking, these describe the type and volume of locally-relevant programming which ESTV Limited is required to provide and form part of its local TV […]
Aug 1 2016
Ofcom is proposing to make switching pay TV providers an easier process, under new proposals that will affect customers of landline, broadband and pay TV services. The regulator has launched a consultation about ways consumers can be helped during the switching process – for both standalone and bundled landline, broadband and pay TV services – […]
UKTV stays on satellite until the end of the decade
CITV: Children’s TV channel will close in September
That’s TV secures licence for That’s Cinema
BBC Radio 4 begins information campaign to transition listeners from Long Wave
Sky News launches international audio service
ITVX Kids launching in Summer 2023
CNN launches new FAST channel in Europe
More organisations join crusade to protect terrestrial television and radio
Channel launches and updates on Freeview
ITV announces closure of CITV
Apr 24 2017
Sky-Fox inquiry extended until after UK election
UK culture secretary, Karen Bradley, has extended the investigation deadline for 21st Century Fox’s planned £11.7 billion takeover of Sky until after the UK general election. In a statement published Friday, Bradley said she had written to UK broadcast regulator Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), extending the period within which they must […]
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By Expat • SKY, UK Media News • Tags: Competition and Markets Authority, Ofcom, Sky-Fox Inquiry, UK Culture Secretary