Murdoch withdraws offer for complete takeover of BSkyB
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is withdrawing his bid to acquire the British broadcaster BSkyB. The bid covers the 61 percent of BSkyB shares that Murdoch's News Corp. does not already own.
The offer will now be withdrawn. This was announced by News Corp on Wednesday. The planned purchase of the pay-TV broadcaster BSkyB by Murdoch's News Corporation group was particularly controversial due to the latest revelations in the wiretapping affair. British Prime Minister David Cameron demanded legal consequences for those responsible for the scandal in parliament on Wednesday.
Those responsible for the "disgraceful" practices should be prosecuted, Cameron said. He also called on media mogul Murdoch's company to fully investigate the allegations. Cameron outlined details of a judicial committee of inquiry. This is to look into the affair surrounding the tapped phones of celebrities and private individuals at News International in parallel to the police investigation. It will be able to summon journalists, politicians, police officers and others involved to give evidence under oath.
Bribery payments to the police are also to be investigated. The Prime Minister once again defended himself against the fact that he had made the former editor-in-chief of the News of the World, Andy Coulson, his advisor. He had only done this because Coulson had assured him that he had not been involved in any criminal activities. If it turned out that he had lied, he would have to be punished. (sda)
