The UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has written to regulatory body Ofcom under section 106B(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002, seeking further clarification in relation to representations made on the Secretary of State’s referral decision in respect 21st Century Fox’s bid to acquire the remaining shares in Sky it does not already own.

After assessing the large number of representations made in relation to the Secretary of State’s referral decision, a number of these raise new evidence and/or comment on the Ofcom assessment.

Any referral decision by the Secretary of State must be taken on the basis of a valid assessment of all the relevant evidence. For this reason, the DCMS has asked Ofcom to advise on a number of points arising from these representations. The Department has asked that the advice is provided as soon as possible and no later than August 25 2017.

According to the DCMS, all effort continues to carry out this process in a transparent and timely way. The Department’s letter to Ofcom and Ofcom’s response will be published in due course.

Other posts by Colin Mann:

1. Analysis: SVoDs drive $220bn content spend
2. A TikToking clock heading towards regeneration – or not?
3. European pay-radio: Getting ready

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Business, M&A, Pay TV, Policy, Regulation