The payback has begun.
The cosy coterie of Chipping Norton (the Camerons, a junior Murdoch and Chief Executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks) obviously carved up rather more than the turkey when they dined together over Christmas. We now realise that they were putting together a proposal which would salve the conscience of Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt.
Hunt has now rejected the Ofcom recommendation that Murdoch's attempt to gain complete control of BSkyB should be referred to the Competition Commission.
True, his predecessor claimed to be "at war" with Murdoch. True, Hunt himself once claimed to be "minded" to make the referral.
But that was then. That was before Cameron laid down the Christmas dinner party line.
Of course, Murdoch won't have it all his own way. News Corp will be allowed to own only 39% of the shares of Sky News. This is serious. Because currently, News Corp own ... er ... 39% of the shares of Sky News.
What's more, no Murdoch will be allowed to chair the board of the new Sky News. This is very serious indeed. After all, once they have 100% of BSkyB, they surely won't have bigger fish to fry.
The important thing, however, is that our Culture Secretary is satisfied. And he is. To the extent that he believes "media plurality will be strengthened" by the deal.
Not merely unaffected, but strengthened!
Maybe James Naughtie got it right after all.
Today's listening: Bach's Art of Fugue, transposed for string quartet by Robert Simpson, and performed by the Delme Quartet.
The cosy coterie of Chipping Norton (the Camerons, a junior Murdoch and Chief Executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks) obviously carved up rather more than the turkey when they dined together over Christmas. We now realise that they were putting together a proposal which would salve the conscience of Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt.
Hunt has now rejected the Ofcom recommendation that Murdoch's attempt to gain complete control of BSkyB should be referred to the Competition Commission.
True, his predecessor claimed to be "at war" with Murdoch. True, Hunt himself once claimed to be "minded" to make the referral.
But that was then. That was before Cameron laid down the Christmas dinner party line.
Of course, Murdoch won't have it all his own way. News Corp will be allowed to own only 39% of the shares of Sky News. This is serious. Because currently, News Corp own ... er ... 39% of the shares of Sky News.
What's more, no Murdoch will be allowed to chair the board of the new Sky News. This is very serious indeed. After all, once they have 100% of BSkyB, they surely won't have bigger fish to fry.
The important thing, however, is that our Culture Secretary is satisfied. And he is. To the extent that he believes "media plurality will be strengthened" by the deal.
Not merely unaffected, but strengthened!
Maybe James Naughtie got it right after all.
Today's listening: Bach's Art of Fugue, transposed for string quartet by Robert Simpson, and performed by the Delme Quartet.
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