Britain Deals a Blow to Murdoch’s Sky Takeover

The British government will refer Rupert Murdoch’s proposed takeover of Sky to a full, more rigorous investigation because officials are concerned the media mogul’s combined new entity would have too much power. “I am minded to refer to a Phase 2 investigation on the grounds of media plurality,” Media Secretary Karen Bradley told lawmakers, according to Reuters. “The proposed entity would have the third-largest total reach of any news provider—lower only than the BBC and ITN—and would, uniquely, span news coverage on television, radio, in newspapers and online.” Investigators did find, however, that Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox is committed to upholding broadcast standards—the other key criteria for whether the government could approve the deal.