British Regulators to Investigate 21st Century Fox’s Deal for Sky -
By PRASHANT S. RAO and AMIE TSANGMARCH 16, 2017
LONDON — Britain asked regulators on Thursday to investigate whether 21st Century Fox’s $14.3 billion deal to take full control of the
British satellite television giant Sky would give the media mogul Rupert Murdoch too much control over the country’s media landscape.
Karen Bradley, Britain’s minister for culture, media and sport, said in a statement to Parliament on Thursday
that she had referred the deal to regulators “on the grounds of media plurality and commitment to broadcasting standards.”
Ms. Bradley said that although 21st Century Fox had contested her position, “none of the representations
have led me to dismiss the concerns I have” regarding public interest issues.
“There will be lots of discussions made around whether the commitments made around Sky News are adequate.”
In 2011, News Corporation, 21st Century Fox’s predecessor company, made
and then withdrew a $12 billion offer for Sky as it was confronted with a controversy over phone hacking by journalists in Britain, which led to one of its newspapers being closed.
