I'm actually in favour of Murdoch owning the entire BSkyB company but it does amuse me that his influence and power simply links with the government to agree to "sell off" Sky News, getting 100% of BSkyB, which will then, inevitably, set up a new News channel which will, within months, totally eclipse boring old Sky News (Fox News anyone?).

And they think we don't know?

Do they really underestimate us that much?

Yes.

Watching Jeremy Hunt - old Charterhouse boy - defending his position and the BBC questioning him, I realise Murdoch is right - we are all, generally, completely stoopid. Nobody else has even suggested the obvious development.

Ruperts pulled a blinder!

He gets to own 100% of Sky.

He retains his current % of Sky News

He can either remain happy with his minority ownership of Sky News, or/and build a new News channel.

Great move!

I know someone who was once accused of being one of Murdoch's "bully boys" and he isn't like that at all.

He had a job to do and did it well.

BSkyB lost so much money to start with I think it's only in the last few years it's started actually making a profit.

Which is why he'll have to find £9.1 billions to buy it? I wonder if Rupert has got enough dough squirrelled away in the Cayman Islands to pay for it?

Ken: would it have made a difference if Jeremy had gone to say RGS in Guiildford and not C'house? I fail to see the relevance of that comment, unless of course you're a bit of a snob!

Murdoch only controls 40% of News shares and doesn't own all of those ( Saudi King etc). But he still controls the corp via complicated US rules that other shareholders only tolerate while the company is profitable.

I believe you are seeing him propping up News which is still underwritten by massive debts. I don't believe the company will survive his death-but his mother is still alive at 101 so look out.

Yes you will get a Fox News channel with all it's horror and repitiion and slanted news and the fact that Britain is gripped by mindless reality programs like BGT indicates that a Brit Fox News willbe successful.

Thus you will get..as other channels follow suit as they have in the USA..not real reporting but the garbage dished out in the USA..such as idiotic mindless Tea party rallies with 300 people a top news feature but the union rallies in Wisconsin that happened last weekend with 200,000 rallying to stop the final Reaganite assault on unions not reported on one single US news poutlet.

He will then (or son James) will continue their assault on the BBC in an attempt to neuter it by making the government either sell it off or take advertising instead of licence fees..and that will be the end of quality programs as we have today (already at risk).

The only shows produced will be ones that rake in huge viewing audiences whether they are wonderful or rubbish...only the rubbish will survive.

It's happened everywhere else..so why not the UK ?

Yes and I know many Murdoch attack dogs and some are good friends. But they have families and mortgages so they do things they know are hateful if they want that pay packet at the end of the week.

Slowly but surely-say hello to creeping fascism.

In the end the News of The World will be the only thing you will be allowed to read ( the Daily Mail must be destroyed) on your implanted IPOD 9 and Fox News will be beamed directly into your brain while you slave away and finally be turned into Soylent Green at age 40.

We will all be on a list of some type..JK on the Savoy Offender's List..guilty of former fine dining..he will only be allowed in pie & mash cafes as nice restaurants will be for upper echelon News Corpo executives who will rule the country via Cameron clones.(travel to Tunisia & Morocco banned...enforced holidays to Costa Brava and Blackpool obligatory)

(the Lib Dems as I repeat...being destroyed forever at the next GE)

By then the Alien galaxay that set up this weird experiment will write us off as a failure and leave us to our own devices...