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BSkyB denies order to pull F1 story undermines Sky News's independence
Mark Sweney Guardian 21 March 2012.
DATELINE: 22/3/12
BSkyB has denied the decision by its chief executive to order a story to be removed from the Sky News website for 40 hours after a complaint from its Formula One production team posed a threat to the channel's editorial independence. Jeremy Darroch stepped in after the article, posted on the Sky News website at 6pm on Saturday, caused F1 teams in Melbourne to voice concern to BSkyB's TV production team, who were in the city covering the inaugural race of the 2012 season.
The article, which reported a controversial plan to shakeup commercial deals and sell a stake in the sport's parent company, run by Bernie Ecclestone, prompted BSkyB's executive producer for F1, Martin Turner, to contact London to relay the concerns of the teams.
Darroch moved to order the article to be removed from the website at midnight, about six hours after it went live and Mark Kleinman, the Sky News business editor who penned the piece, had tweeted selected key details to his 10,000 followers.
The article was republished on Monday afternoon mostly unchanged, although some sections that quoted extensively from a leaked document were cut back, following a review of the process that led to the story being launched.
A spokesman for BSkyB said he did not agree that the move to pull the story at the behest of F1 teams, as first reported by the FT, could be viewed as a threat to the editorial independence of the Sky News operation, given the article has not been found to be inaccurate. "The piece was withdrawn for further review," he said. "We stand by the story and, following that review, took the decision to republish."
A source familiar with the review process, which was carried out by the head of Sky News, John Ryley, on Sunday, said the issue was not about the editorial content but that colleagues in the F1 production team it directly affected should have been informed prior to publication. "The issue is not about the story, it was a strong story then [when it was first published] and it is a strong story now," said the source. "It is perfectly legitimate for the chief executive to ask questions and to challenge parts of the business." However, the question of independence is a highly charged topic when it comes to Sky News.
The issue of whether the news operation would be able to remain truly independent from its parent company was a topic of fierce debate when News Corporation, which owns 39.1% of BSkyB, sought to take full control of the UK's most successful commercial broadcaster.
As part of the ultimately ill-fated bid, in early 2011 News Corp attempted to appease regulators by offering to spin off Sky News, claiming that would ensure it remained independent and media plurality in the UK was maintained, although critics argued that the fact Rupert Murdoch would continue to hold a 39% stake in the new company would make that unfeasible. "Sky News is meant to be editorially independent [of BSkyB]," said a second source with knowledge of the Sky News incident at the weekend. "Why should BSkyB have to be made aware of stories, could it happen again, what does it say about precedent?" BSkyB swooped to pick up the lion's share of the rights to broadcast F1 in conjunction with the BBC last summer.
More than a million viewers watched the climax to the first grand prix of the season on Sky's new dedicated F1 channel on Sunday but its overall audience was down 75% on BBC1's coverage last year.
Season opener the Australian Grand Prix, the first to be broadcast exclusively by Sky, had an average audience of 526,000 viewers between 4.30am and 9am on Sunday, with a five-minute peak of 1.02 million as Jenson Button took the chequered flag.
Live coverage of the race itself, which ran from 6am to 7.40am, was watched by an average of 874,000 viewers.
© 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
Last modified: Thursday, March 22, 2012
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The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
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This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
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Previous stories
Media Ownership
Reining in the media barons
"Taking on the Media Barons": restraints which Labour says could be imposed immediately
Hacking scandal prompts Unite call for review of UK media ownership
Ofcom steps up test of James Murdoch's fitness to keep BSkyB role
Ofcom steps up test of James Murdoch's fitness to keep BSkyB role
Before it's too late: action on media ownership
Sunday’s Sun will be more of the same
Rupert Murdoch to launch Sun on Sunday newspaper 'soon'
Northcliffe to axe two Kent weeklies in wake of failed deal
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Submission on Media Pluralism to Ofcom
News Corp subsidiary probed in Australia
James Murdoch resigns from Sun and Times boards
Ofcom media plurality review gets more than 45,000 submissions
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Campaign grows to oust Murdoch
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Murdoch blinks
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