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21st Century Fox takeover over Sky bid

Threat of closing Sky News - Page 12 (December 2016)

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JA
JAS84
steddenm posted:
Wispa was actually retired by Cadbury a long while before Cadbury Dairy Milk Bubbly was launched and was a completely separate brand.
No, Bubbly directly replaced Wispa, in 2003. They reintroduced Wispa in 2007, axing the smallest size of Bubbly but keeping the larger ones.
MO
Mouseboy33
My attempt at getting back on topic...

Well if they indeed spin off, whats been described as the "loss-making' SkyNews, that is probably going to be the most interesting development, IMO, out all this mess. If SkyNews cant make money, it will be interesting to see how they can continue operating with no profit coming in after years of being propped up by SkyTv. The channel has been run as virtually a vanity project since its creation without fear of serious repercussions financially. Does that mean they will continue to make, IMO, bone-headed creative decisions? Right now they know the money is there to do basically what they want, within reason (of course they have a budget) without any thought to the channel folding or closing because Sky's got deep pockets. If they are spun-off, they will have to consider any changes very carefully and the whole thinking of the channel (From management down) will need to change from being a virtually "corporate funded" channel to one that has to turn a profit to survive.

How do they monetize their product with-out having a sugar daddy bank-rolling their operation? Before the consolidations and take-overs and such, CNN successfully came up with a formula for a large global commercial news channel to operate successfully without being bankrolled like the BBC, Sky or AJE. (Affiliation deals, CNNewsource, etc. http://www.cnnnewsource.com/) After losing money for years, Sky News, operational mentality will need a major overhaul to making a profit if its spun off. How could this affect their product? Thats the big question.
:-(
A former member
You have misunderstand, current 39% stake 21st Century has will remain for sky news, I bet there be a clause somewhere it cant get rid if this deal goes ahead. its the other 61% which will be spined off to others. Sky news will still be propped up by Sky.
LL
London Lite Founding member
623058 posted:
You have misunderstand, current 39% stake 21st Century has will remain for sky news, I bet there be a clause somewhere it cant get rid if this deal goes ahead. its the other 61% which will be spined off to others. Sky news will still be propped up by Sky.


At most, Sky will franchise the 'Sky News' brand to another company, with Sky providing facilities in a similar arrangement to how Global have franchise operations for Heart FM operated by Communicorp UK and Adventure Radio. Under this arrangement Global provide access to buildings with office and studio space to the franchisee along with technical assistance.

Sky would also provide sales for the channel under contract with the new owner in the same way Viacom allow them to sell ads on their behalf.
ST
Stuart
I appreciate that Murdoch is the owner of both 21CFox and NewsCorp, but they are now entirely separate companies.

His newspaper publishing businesses are now totally within NewsCorp, which won't have anything to do with Sky, or any shares in it. The takeover bid is just by 21CFox.

Can Ofcom even object to the takeover, or insist on any internal reorganisations (such as with Sky News), on the basis that the new company has a major shareholder who happens to have the majority share in another separate media company?
MO
Mouseboy33
If Rupert & Co were even considering dumping SkyNews back in 2011, they probably wouldnt hesitate to do it again if it meant they can secure ownership of Sky. NewsCorp and 21CFox "separation" aside....everyone knows is all Rupert all the time. These huge companies are full of it, especially NewsCorp/21CFox. This whole transaction will be interesting to watch.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/news-corp-to-spin-off-sky-news/
ST
Stuart
Mouseboy33 posted:
If Rupert & Co were even considering dumping SkyNews back in 2011, they probably wouldnt hesitate to do it again if it meant they can secure ownership of Sky.

But the reasoning at the time was that the prospective purchaser of BSkyB in 2011 was the 'old' News Corporation, and there was a question of a single company having too much control of both broadcast and published media in the UK.


Technically, that's no longer the case with the new bidder.
MO
Mouseboy33
Stuart posted:
Mouseboy33 posted:
If Rupert & Co were even considering dumping SkyNews back in 2011, they probably wouldnt hesitate to do it again if it meant they can secure ownership of Sky.

But the reasoning at the time was that the prospective purchaser of BSkyB in 2011 was the 'old' News Corporation, and there was a question of a single company having too much control of both broadcast and published media in the UK.


Technically, that's no longer the case with the new bidder.


"Technically" being the key word.
:-(
A former member
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/dec/13/rupert-murdoch-unlikely-to-spin-off-sky-news-in-takeover-battle

Quote:

Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox is not expected to offer Sky News as a regulatory pawn to secure an £11.2bn takeover of Britain’s largest pay-TV broadcaster.

Under a previous acquisition attempt in 2011, Murdoch struck a deal to spin off the loss-making Sky News in a bid to appease concerns raised by Ofcom, the media industry watchdog. However, it is understood that Fox believes that the industry landscape has changed significantly since then and that there should be less concern over the impact of a deal on the diversity of viewpoints across the media.

Murdoch’s stance emerged as a group of Sky shareholders called for “robust” safeguards to protect the broadcaster’s “future probity” if Fox takes full control of the business. Alongside its call for safeguards, the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum, an association of 71 funds that control about 0.7% of Sky, also called for Ofcom to scrutinise the deal. Fox, which already owns 39% of Sky, is seeking to buy the remaining 61%.

Referring to the phone-hacking scandal that derailed the previous Murdoch bid for Sky, the LAPFF said: “Any recommendation by the board in favour would have to be based on an appropriate premium as well as safeguards for future probity given the past track records of the businesses controlled by the Murdochs.

“Further clarity may also be needed so that public shareholders have full confidence that proposals are not being unduly influenced by the well-known relationships between Sky and 21st Century Fox.”...........................................
BR
Brekkie
Spinning of Sky News wouldn't make a bit of difference IMO to public perception. Spinning of Sky Sports on the other hand...


I'd really like to see Sky pushing for BT and Openreach to be split come back to bite them and for OFCOM to rule that for any sale to go ahead the Sky channels business and platform business has to be split.
HB
HarryB
Sky News confirms the takeover





Last edited by HarryB on 15 December 2016 12:49pm
MO
Mouseboy33


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