• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

3

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

3

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Tech

Here’s How the AT&T-Time Warner Deal Is Influencing Fox’s Bid for Sky

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 12, 2016, 10:53 AM ET
Executive Chairman of News Corp and Chairman and CEO of 21st Century Fox Murdoch arrives on the red carpet during the second annual Breakthrough Prize Awards in Mountain View
Executive Chairman of News Corp and Chairman and CEO of 21st Century Fox Rupert Murdoch arrives on the red carpet during the second annual Breakthrough Prize Awards at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California November 9, 2014. REUTERS/Stephen Lam (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS MEDIA) - RTR4DKEEPhotograph by Stephen Lam — Reuters
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Rupert Murdoch’s Twenty-First Century Fox aims to table a firm cash bid valuing British broadcaster Sky at 10.75 pounds per share as early as Wednesday to help him buy the rest of the company, four people familiar with the matter said.

The two companies have agreed to press ahead with a scheme of arrangement which is a court-approved agreement typically used in friendly takeovers in the U.K., two of the sources said on Monday.

This could make it easier for Fox to wrap up a deal as it would only require 75% approval from shareholders, against 90% through a straight takeover under U.K. rules.

This comes after Fox made a proposed offer of the same value on Friday and received the backing of Sky’s independent directors.

Sources said Fox (FOX) does not plan to increase its bid for the time being as it had already significantly improved a previous offer which was not made public. Murdoch is also expected to keep Sky’s chief executive Jeremy Darroch to run the business as he wants continuity for the company, two of the sources said.

If successful, Murdoch’s second attempt to acquire the 61% in Sky it does not already own would give him full control of a pay-TV network spanning 22 million households in Britain, Ireland, Austria, Germany, and Italy.

Murdoch, who also owns The Sun and The Times newspapers through his other company NewsCorp, has long seen a tie-up with Sky as a logical, strategic deal and is especially keen to get direct access to Sky’s customers, one of the sources said.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Sky could push for a sweetened bid once a firm offer is tabled, the sources said, since several small shareholders including Standard Life, Jupiter Asset Management, and Royal London have sought a higher price and questioned the initial green light given by Sky’s Independent Committee.

Shareholder Unease

Sky created the Independent Committee of directors to assess the deal in a move to ease shareholders’ concerns on governance given that James Murdoch is both the chairman of Sky and the chief executive of Fox.

“It would have been preferable to have an independent chairman,” said Piers Hillier, CIO at Royal London Asset Management. “The creation of an independent committee of the board (excluding James Murdoch) to consider the bid addresses some of the conflicts of interest, however it doesn’t go far enough.”

Fox had previously tried to expand in its home market but had to abandon a $80 billion deal to acquire Time Warner after the company rejected it.

AT&T’s (T) successful $85 billion bid for Time Warner (TWX) in October was one of the triggers pushing Murdoch to grow by bidding for Sky, said one of the sources adding that the two companies started talks shortly after the U.S. election.

Sky was down 33% so far this year before Fox’s offer emerged. It has now rebounded on the prospect of a deal but is still down 11% compared to January, according to Thomson Reuters data.

“In terms of valuation, the offer is at the low end, considering stock price levels at the end of last year as well as our internal intrinsic value,” said Kai Fachinger, senior portfolio manager at RobecoSAM, a minority Sky shareholder which recently increased its stake in the British company.

“Assuming some cross-synergies, both on cost and revenue, we would expect the fair premium to be some 5-10% higher at least.”

However, the mean average of 22 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters currently price Sky at GBP 10.31.

Read more: National Amusements Pulls CBS, Viacom Merger Proposal

Fachinger said he expected Murdoch to push through a deal “whatever it costs” after his failed 2011 attempt to buy Sky through his News Corp business.

That attempt provoked uproar among some U.K. politicians, who said it would give the billionaire owner of The Sun and The Times newspapers too much control over the country’s media.

It collapsed when Murdoch’s U.K. newspaper business was engulfed in a phone hacking scandal that intensified political opposition, resulted in a criminal trial and led to the closure of his News of the World tabloid.

People familiar with the matter said Fox had seen the opportunity to try again after Britain’s vote to leave the European Union in June sent the pound down about 14% against the U.S. dollar and Sky’s share price tumbling.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Patricia Camden is EY Studio+ Customer Experience and Loyalty Leader
CommentaryConsulting
EY: we found your biggest AI blind spot. It’s called the ‘tempo gap’
By Patricia Camden and John DuboisJune 20, 2026
18 hours ago
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 11: Marques Colston #12 of the New Orleans Saints stands on the field before a football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on October 11, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
InvestingSports
A Saints legend is selling fans a piece of professional sports for $500
By Eva RoytburgJune 20, 2026
18 hours ago
Photo of Jensen Huang
SuccessCareers
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
By Preston ForeJune 20, 2026
18 hours ago
p
CommentaryInternet
GoDaddy Corporate Domains chief: The next Internet land rush is happening right now
By Phil LodicoJune 20, 2026
18 hours ago
Executive pay climbed again in 2025—and the CEO-to-worker gap kept widening
C-SuiteElon Musk
Executive pay climbed again in 2025—and the CEO-to-worker gap kept widening
By Catherina GioinoJune 20, 2026
19 hours ago
Why odds of SpaceX merger with Tesla keep climbing every time the stock shoots up
Big TechSpaceX
Why odds of SpaceX merger with Tesla keep climbing every time the stock shoots up
By Shawn TullyJune 20, 2026
22 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
2 days ago
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
Health
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
By Ali Swenson, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
12 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
By Preston ForeJune 20, 2026
18 hours ago
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
Economy
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
By Tristan BoveJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
4 days ago
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.