@"Both sides" - what sides? ... they are the same side!
i.e. "Murdoch's son James" ... "is Sky's chairman"!
Murdoch's News Corp is offering 700p per share to Sky. So Murdoch is offering 700p per share to his son's company!
Wow, talk about conflict of interests!?! ... No wonder his son James is trying to appear to be distancing himself from the negotiations, but he is still the company chairman!
Also lets not forget, News Corp created Sky Television in 1989!
Then there's the directors of Sky who have very strong connections with News Corporation. i.e. from Sky board and management list...
"David F. DeVoe (Sky Non-Executive Director) has been a Director of News Corporation and its CFO since October 1990."
"Tom Mockridge (Sky Non-Executive Director) is the CEO of Sky Italia and Chief Executive, European Television of News Corporation"
"Arthur Siskind (Sky Non-Executive Director) has been the Senior Advisor to the Chairman of News Corporation since January 2005." ... also "has been an Executive Director of News Corporation since 1991"
Also James Murdoch (Sky Chairman and son of Rupert) is still "a member of News Corporation’s Board of Directors"
i.e. "James Murdoch was appointed as a Director of the (Sky) Company on 13 February 2003 and as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from 4 November 2003. On 7 December 2007, he was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the Company having relinquished the role of CEO. James is Executive Chairman and CEO, Europe and Asia, at News Corporation and is a member of News Corporation’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee."
i.e. http://corporate.sky.com/about_sky/our_board_and_management/board.htm (Welcome Mr R Murdoch to the power of the Internet, where we can all lookup details on your business moves and see through your PR lying spin of different "sides" and see through your son pretending to distance himself from this "negotiation" ;)
So there is no "Both sides", they are the same side.