Editorial independence an issue for Sky in News Corp takeover bid

The board of UK pay-TV operator BSkyB is seeking assurances from News Corp on the independence of its editorial operations before recommending a full takeover, according to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

The newspaper said price is likely to be the main issue for the deal, but maintaining the independence of Sky’s news channels will also be an important factor. Last week, eight independent Sky directors said they would recommend a price of 800p (€9.66) a share for a takeover of the company by News Corp, valuing the company at £14bn, following a rejection of the media giant’s revised 700p a share offer to acquire the 61% of the company it doesn’t already own.