The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority expects to publish its initial verdict on 21st Century Fox’s proposed takeover of pay-television broadcaster Sky in mid-January – a month later than originally planned.
Fox, which already owns 39 per cent of Sky, wants to secure full control of the company through an £11.7bn (€13bn/$15.5bn) deal. Sky is a major sports broadcaster in the UK, as well as Austria, Germany, Ireland and Italy.
Karen Bradley, the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, referred the proposed takeover to the Competition and Markets Authority in September on the grounds of broadcasting standards and media plurality.
The regulator initially planned to publish its verdict on December 18.
“It is not unusual for us to update our timetables,” a spokesperson for the watchdog told the Guardian newspaper.
“In this case, we have received a large body of evidence – including numerous face-to-face hearings and more than 12,000 submissions – so it is vital that we spend the time to reach an informed and considered provisional view.”