NewsCorp faces competition probe over BSkyB bid

Britains' Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said today that he intends to refer News Corporation’s bid for full control of BSkyB to the Competition Commission.

Mr Hunt said the merger may operate against the public interest in media plurality, but added that he would first consider undertakings from News Corp before confirming the reference to the Commission.

A report by media watchdog Ofcom previously recommended that the proposed deal should be investigated further by the Commission.

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp – which also owns papers including The Sun and The Times – made an approach in June to buy the 61% of BSkyB it does not already own, but Business Secretary Vince Cable stepped in to refer the deal to Ofcom on public interest grounds.