Murdoch will get EU green light for full Sky takeover – reports

Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox will gain EU clearance for its full takeover of Sky, according to sources who whispered to Reuters. The newswire reported that two people familiar with the matter told it that EU regulators will approve the £18.5bn takeover. Back in December shareholders agreed the takeover of the British pay …

[hplasm]

So ...

Sky will soon look like the Sun...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: So ...

And the son of the Sun.

[Mage]

Re: So ...

It won't be any different as he has always effectively controlled it.

I guess either it's ego he is taking it over completely, or expects to get more money. It's not about actual control.

[paulf]

Re: So ...

@ Mage "I guess either it's ego he is taking it over completely, or expects to get more money. It's not about actual control."

Not entirely. AIUI Sky, as a quoted company, pays tax on their profits before any payouts to shareholders, including 21CF. If Sky was a wholly owned subsidiary 21CF would have full access to the untaxed profits, with taxation happening further up the food chain at group level.

I'm neither lawyer nor accountant but that's my understanding - so it's not just about control, it's also about the filthy shilling it generates.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: So ...

...but much more expensive since they'll want a quick return on their investment.

[James 51]

So who was it said the EU wouldn't want to punish the UK for brexit?

[Anonymous Coward]

"So who was it said the EU wouldn't want to punish the UK for brexit?"

I was thinking exactly this. Can we expect more "stuff GB" verdicts from the regulators in the next two years?

[Will Godfrey]

He'll never get there

Looks like he's after the the universe, but the heavens already have a boss.

[omninet]

Presumably no-one at Ofcom will brave enough to fail Fox the "fit and proper" test.

There is bravery and then there is losing your job.

[MJI]

I do try

To not give a single penny to the crook and his companies.

But it is difficult.

[Will Godfrey]

Re: I do try

Have one of these as well as an upvote ->

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I do try

Is it difficult though? Just don't buy any of his newspapers, don't subscribe to Sky or Hulu, and pirate all Fox shows and films.

Anything else?

[Roland6]

Re: I do try

>Anything else?

NowTV

[MJI]

Re: I do try

Well due to forced adverts Fox DVDs are unpurchasable so Fox = torrent

In fact it was Sky poaching stuff off Free to Air that lead me first to the world of torrents

[td0s]

I wonder if this was the reason for his newspapers supporting brexit - save a few quid on sky.

[Sir Sham Cad]

Unlikely to go against the EU antitrust regulator

Well, they might be a bit more willing to give it a go now. Whilst we are still in the EU and subject to EU directives Ofcom is still able to make a contradictory ruling and as long as any legal stuff takes longer than two years they could chance it.

God I hope so. Murdoch (all of them) can fuck off.

[J.Smith]

Monoploy

Is the monopoly and mergers commission still a thing? Or was that consolidated too.

[Kay Burley ate my hamster]

Re: Monoploy

It's now the Competition and Markets Authority, Having changed names once in between.

https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/twenty-first-century-fox-sky-merger-european-intervention-notice

[ecofeco]

Expect the expected

Prices up, service down.

[Andy 97]

Churn factor

Sky's biggest weakness is customers cancel their contracts - especially during the break between football seasons.

While Sky has all the box set and films, they still haven't made the breakthrough with normal television entertainment. A cursory glance on the overnight data shows that even E4 gets more viewers than Sky's 'flagship' Sky1 channel.

[PapaD]

Re: Churn factor

Don't think Sky1 has been their flagship channel for the best part of a decade, not since the whole 'withdraw it from Virgin Media to make more money' affair.

Pretty sure Sky Atlantic is now the channel they use to put out all of their top shows.

[Andy 97]

Re: Churn factor

Sky 1 does make some linear television (in the style of a bad ITV franchisee from the 1980's).

I take your point, but I'd hardly put Atlantic in the same bucket, Sky 1 is a mixed entertainment channel... although entertainment is a subjective term.

[Jay 2]

Re: Churn factor

I'm now trying to figure out the last time I watched Sky 1. I'm sure I've probably watched ITV1 more!