Informed 09


Leveson Two


htp://www.bbc. co.uk/news/uk- politics- 43240230


Aſter the proposed Disney


merger, the most famous dynasty in global media will focus on news and sport. A “New Fox” company, comprising Fox News and related assets not included in the sale, could be merged with News Corp, created by Murdoch 40 years ago and still a $9.6bn business that operates marquee newspaper brands in the US, UK and Australia. Former Murdoch executive, Phil Hall,


now chairman of media company PHA, thinks the Disney sale will enable the family to spend elsewhere. “I suspect we will see a reinvestment of the family’s wealth in a different form of media,” he says.


Te Murdoch family trust is set to


take a 5 per cent stake in Disney. Son James Murdoch, CEO of 21st Century Fox and chairman of Sky, could take a senior role at the House of Mouse.


Farewell then Desmond


Tree years aſter Richard Desmond told Trinity Mirror’s CEO to “Fox off”, the sale of Express Newspapers to the Daily Mirror’s publisher has been concluded.


Te deal includes £126.7m for his daily and Sunday newspapers and magazines plus the company’s 50 per cent joint venture interest in the Irish Daily Star and a commitment until 2027 to invest £70m in the staff pension scheme. Simon Fox, Trinity


Mirror’s chief executive officer, said £20m savings would have to be made. He said the newspapers would be


Alex deGroote, media analyst at Cenkos Securities, says: “I’m sure


they will be angling for a board position and maybe more, so their influence will be felt within the new company.” Te Competition and Markets


Authority rejected Fox’s planned purchase of the 60.9 per cent of Sky it does not already own on the grounds that the family had “too much control over news providers in the UK … and therefore too much influence over public opinion and the political agenda”. DeGroote admits to being “slightly surprised”, given that last year’s UK general election demonstrated the declining power of the press as it “marshalled against” Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. “Te influence of Fleet Street is waning big time in terms of the young.” George Brock, professor of journalism


editorially independent; the Brexit-supporting Express has been a cheerleader for Ukip and the Mirror is traditionally leſt of centre. Te Express


Newspaper’s chapel said it hoped the deal would lead to investment in the cash-starved titles. But NUJ general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, cited Trinity Mirror’s reputation for cost cuting and called for the union to be consulted on forthcoming changes.


Nobody, particularly the journalists who worked for Desmond and endured many years without pay rises, will be sorry to see him to go. In its heyday Te Daily Express sold 4.4m copies. Under Desmond, lack of investment and its bizarre headlines obsessed with Princess Diana, the weather and miracle cures made it increasingly irrelevant, although beyond the crazy front pages there was good journalism. Desmond will be Trinity


Mirror’s third-largest shareholder, but Simon Fox said he would have no influence. Te man once behind Asian Babes and Readers’ Wives is now said to be spending more time with his property portfolio.


at City University, London, and a former Times journalist, says: “As the younger generation of Murdochs have taken more control, the significance of the newspapers has diminished, but it would have diminished in almost any circumstances because newspapers – even if they are online and in print – are just a small part of anybody’s news spectrum. Tere’s just too much proliferating competition for them to go on holding the amount of bandwidth they used to hold.” Te key to the complete takeover of Sky


by Fox, and subsequently Disney, is likely to rest with the fate of Sky News. It has been a worrying time for the network’s staff; Rupert Murdoch had been quite happy to threaten closure of the station if it affected his deal. His latest move has been to say that Fox would establish a fully independent board for Sky News, which might help to appease the CMA but it is not certain that the loss-making news channel has a long-term future under Disney. Tat saga is far from over. In January 2018, News Group Newspapers made confidential setlements (believed to run into six figures) with comedian Vic Reeves, TV presenter Kate Tornton and two others who alleged phone-hacking and blogging by journalists at Te Sun and the News of the World and a cover- up by senior executives. NGN has never admited wrongdoing at Te Sun. Evan Harris, executive director of press


reform group, Hacked Off, says there will be a trial in autumn: “If a judge makes a finding that there was concealment and destruction of evidence, the police will have to lay charges – this was never one of the charges at the original [2014 phone-hacking] trial,”he said. As NUJ Informed went to press, another twist emerged as US cable giant Comcast made a £22.1bn bid for Sky, challenging Murdoch’s £18.5bn deal. Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts said: “We would like to own the whole of Sky and will be looking to acquire over 50 per cent of the Sky shares.” Your move Rupert.


WENN Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo


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