Karen Bradley


UK kids industry gets ‘much-needed’ £60m cash injection

The British kids TV industry has been given a £60 million (US$81.3 million) production and distribution boost, in a move that has been described as a “much-needed stimulus” for local producers. The UK government revealed the fund would be available for content broadcast on commercial public TV broadcasters such as ITV and Channel 5, other […]

Sky threatens to cut Sky News ties to ease Fox deal

Sky has threatened to review its ownership of Sky News if were to impede Fox’s planned £18.5 billion (€20.5 billion) takeover of the pay TV provider. In a statement made to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last month, but published yesterday, Sky said that the CMA should not “simply assume” its continued provision of […]

Watchdog details scope of Fox-Sky investigation

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published an issues statement outlining the scope of its investigation into 21st Century Fox’s planned £18.5 billion (US$24.4 billion) takeover of Sky. The CMA, which will investigate the deal on the grounds of media plurality and broadcasting standards, set out the main issues it likely to consider in […]

UK creative industries ‘could be worth £128bn’ in 10 years

The UK’s creative industries could be worth £128.4 billion (US$174.2 billion) by 2025 and create a million new jobs by 2030, according to a government-commissioned review headed by ITV chairman Peter Bazalgette (pictured). According to the review, the creative sector played a key role in the UK’s economic recovery after the 2008 crash. The industry […]

Confirmed: Sky deal referred to watchdog for review

The UK government has confirmed that 21st Century Fox’s planned £18.5 billion (US$24.6 billion) takeover of Sky will be referred to the Competition and Markets Authority. Culture secretary Karen Bradley (pictured) announced her final decision today, after saying earlier this week that she was minded to refer the deal over concerns about both broadcasting standards […]

Gov’t minded to refer Fox’s Sky deal to watchdog

An influential UK politician has said she is “minded” to refer the proposed merger between 21st Century Fox and Sky to regulators over concerns about broadcasting standards. The UK culture secretary Karen Bradley previously said she intended to refer 21st Century Fox’s £18.5 billion (US$24.5 billion) takeover of Sky to the Competition and Markets authority on […]

Sky bid ‘will be referred’ in absence of new evidence

UK secretary of state for digital culture, media and sport Karen Bradley has pushed back a decision on whether to refer 21st Century Fox’s acquisition of Sky until she has looked at all representations on the matter, but said it was highly likely the bid would be referred to the Competition and Markets Authority on […]

Sky decision likely to be pushed back

A decision on whether 21st Century Fox’s acquisition of Sky can go ahead may not be made before next year, according to press reports. According to Bloomberg, citing a department spokesman, UK culture, media and sport secretary of state Karen Bradley is set to delay a decision on whether an in-depth probe should go ahead […]

Fox’s Sky takeover set for UK competition probe

21st Century Fox’s £11.7 billion (US$15 billion) takeover of European satcaster Sky is likely to be referred to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. The UK government’s secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Karen Bradley, made the announcement earlier today after consulting with media regulator Ofcom. She pointed to “material influence” that Fox […]

Fox’s Sky takeover moves closer with Irish approval

21st Century Fox has secured approval for its takeover of Sky from the Irish regulatory authorities. The Irish minister for communications, climate action and environment cleared the way for the US group to acquire all of the shares in Sky that it does not already own, ruling that the acquisition would not result in insufficient […]