BSkyB 'to sell Sky News' - Guardian

Now this would set the cat among the pigeons .... Find it difficult to believe myself ....

News Corp's referral to Ofcom sparks asset sell-off rumours

Vince Cable's decision has raised speculation about how media conglomerate will win approval for BSkyB takeover

Vince Cable's decision to refer News Corp's £8bn bid for BSkyB to media regulator Ofcom triggered speculation tonight that the media conglomerate could be forced to offload some of its UK assets to win approval for the deal.

The Liberal Democrat business secretary acted this morning – just two days after the company behind the Sun and the Times formally notified regulators it wanted to buy the 61% of BSkyB it does not own – and asked Ofcom to carry out a public interest assessment of whether the deal would damage media plurality in the UK.

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05-Nov-2010 @ 00:25

I agree it does sound unlikely but even if it did happen, who would buy Sky News?

The idea of Sky News being sold off is quite an interesting concept though; it's worth more to News Corp ideologically than it is financially, it's a loss-leader designed to give Sky credibility. It's a well known and established part of the business which makes it attractive as a going concern but it is loss making and without the promotional clout of BSkyB and News International behind it I just can't see how it would survive.

This is pure sabre rattling and nothing more.

Threatening to sell off Sky News is designed to provoke an outcry of "surely News Corps ownership is better than only one news channel in the UK".

Its as plain as the nose on Digger's face.

It wouldn't. Who would buy it?

The BBC would have no need for it, they're running two news channels successfully.

ITN? We saw what happened last time they ran a news channel. (Ironically enough, Sky News is probably at least 50% reponsible for ITN's demise as a serious news player. The other 50% is down to the demands of their main shareholder, ITV).

An existing print or radio news operation? Would be a lot for them to take on.

They'd lose the Sky News brand and its twenty years of heritige.

I'm agreed on this one, its to scare polticians into thinking there is a serious threat of Sky News closing if the bid isn't approved. Of course isn't the OFT/Competition Commission and Ofcom supposed to be independent of government in making these decisions?

HAHAHAHAHA.

Yes, its supposed to be.