UK media groups cry foul as Murdoch plans BSkyB take over

Several rival media groups, in a joint move, have urged the UK government to consider blocking media baron Rupert Murdoch from taking full control of BSkyB.

In a letter to business secretary, Vince Cable they have argued that, given Murdoch's newspaper empire, the move would end up reducing diversity in the industry.

Among those who have signed the letters are the heads of BBC and Channel 4 and chief executives of newspaper groups including The Telegraph, the Mail, the Guardian and the Mirror.

According to Murdoch's company, News Corp, it has not yet finalised. It has its plans and has pointed out that its critics are also its commercial rivals.
News Corp has announced it wants to acquire the remaining 61 per cent of BSkyB, it does not own.

NewsCorp is currently the owner of News International, the Sun, the News of the World, and The Times and Sunday Times newspapers in the UK. Between them, these publications account for upward of a third of all national UK newspaper circulation.

Last month, BBC business editor, Robert Peston reported that Cable would likely issue an 'intervention notice' to media regulator Ofcom once a final offer was made.