Media watchdog steps up probe over BSkyB licence

The media regulator has asked Rupert Murdoch’s company, News Group Newspapers – publisher of the Sun and the now-defunct News of the World – to provide it with a series of documents relating to the civil litigation in which the media giant is involved.

Ofcom has been gathering evidence since last summer, when it said it would consider whether phone-hacking allegations at the News of the World were relevant to News Corp being a fit and proper owner of the satellite broadcaster.

Previously, the regulator has been monitoring publicly available evidence, but it has now called for documents that are not in the public domain as it accelerates the investigation.

An Ofcom spokesman said: “Ofcom is gathering evidence which may assist it in assessing whether BSkyB is and remains fit and proper to continue to hold its broadcast licences.

“As part of this ongoing assessment, Ofcom has contacted News Group Newspapers requesting documents which it understands are held by the company and which may be relevant to this assessment.

“BSkyB is party to this correspondence. The documents Ofcom is seeking relate to the civil litigation cases.”

The spokesman continued: “Ofcom is seeking to obtain documents that were ordered to be disclosed in the civil litigation between numerous complainants and News Group Newspapers.”

News Corp, owner of a 39 per cent stake in BSkyB., saw its chairman and chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, face hours of questioning at the Leveson Inquiry.

Earlier this month, Rupert Murdoch’s son, James, resigned as BSkyB chairman. He wrote to the board: “I am aware that my role as chairman could become a lightning rod for BSkyB, and I believe that my resignation will help to ensure that there is no false conflation with events at a separate organisation.”

Last year, News Corp bowed to pressure and withdrew its plans to take over BSkyB, after the company admitted that the public uproar over phone hacking had made the climate too difficult.

ELLA PICKOVER