Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling is to rule on whether BSkyB’s purchase of a 17.9% stake in ITV was against the public interest. Darling has asked Ofcom to hold an inquiry into last autumn’s purchase by BSkyB in the wake of plans by the then NTL Telewest to make its own takeover of Britain’s leading commercial channel.
The Secretary has for the first time triggered the public interest test that was created for media mergers as part of the 2003 Communications Act.
The public interest inquiry will complete by April 27 when Darling will have to decide whether to clear Sky’s purchase or pass the matter to the Competition Commission for further investigation.
