A question mark has arisen over the future of UK culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, following the release of emails by News Corp to the Leveson inquiry into phone hacking that appeared to show Hunt had indicated, ahead of a statement to parliament, that he was minded to give a green light to News Corp’s merger with BSkyB.
The Leveson inquiry was shown emails from News Corp lobbyist Frederic Michel that appeared to throw doubt on Hunt’s impartiality and suggested that News Corp’s view was that Hunt was favourable to the bid. Former BSkyB executive chairman James Murdoch also confirmed in his evidence to the inquiry that he had spoken to Hunt personally by phone.
Hunt has responded by asking the Leveson inquiry to bring forward the timing for him to give evidence. He said in a statement that some of the evidence given reported meetings and conversations that didn’t happen, and maintained that his priority had been to give the public confidence in the integrity of the process.
News Corp’s bid to merge with the UK pay TV operator was abandoned after revelations about the extent of phone hacking by the News of the World newspaper became public.
ICYMI: @bbcthree to return as linear channel after six-year online hiatus digitaltveurope.com/2021/03/03/bbc… https://t.co/njUFNp6Oki
03 March 2021 @ 21:00:00 UTC
ICYMI: 2021 #ANGACOM postponed in favour of digital conference digitaltveurope.com/2021/03/03/202… https://t.co/XPfmuS4DiO
03 March 2021 @ 20:00:00 UTC
ICYMI: @rtlgroup to take 100% control of Super RTL as it builds up TV Now digitaltveurope.com/2021/03/03/rtl… https://t.co/uj3RgHL28h
03 March 2021 @ 19:00:00 UTC
RT @kilogrammedia: Benesse Corporation, the Japanese education services company, is launching a new SVOD service this month, called Meecha!…
03 March 2021 @ 18:45:11 UTC
Japan’s Benesse Corporation to launch Meecha! early learning SVOD digitaltveurope.com/2021/03/03/jap… https://t.co/EUn4o0eNEG
03 March 2021 @ 18:00:00 UTC