Nandy orders review of Sky’s proposed ITV acquisition

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice on Sky’s proposed £1.6 billion acquisition of ITV’s media and entertainment business, beginning reviews by the Competition and Markets Authority and Ofcom. The deal’s outcome remains undecided. The CMA and Ofcom have been asked to report by January 27. The CMA will examine competition and jurisdictional issues, while Ofcom will consider the public-interest implications. Nandy said she would decide after receiving their reports whether to refer the acquisition to the CMA for a further investigation and update Parliament. The notice follows Nandy’s October 15 invitation to Sky and ITV to submit representations. She said she had considered the companies’ responses before issuing it. In announcing the intervention, she cited concerns about the proposed merger’s potential effects on news plurality, media influence and the availability of a broad range of programming. The proposed transaction, announced earlier this year, covers ITV’s television channels and streaming service ITVX. ITV Studios, the company’s production business, is excluded and would remain separate. The £1.6 billion figure refers to...