By IRNA,
London : Britain’s communications watchdog Tuesday ordered Sky to sell Premier League football and other premium programming to rival broadcasters and to cut the price of its main Sports 1 and 2 channels.
The ruling by Ofcom, after a three-year investigation into the UK pay television market, seeks to curb the domination held by Britain’s leading satellite broadcaster by triggering a price war on access to premium sport.
“Consumers will in the future enjoy a greater range of innovative services following fresh investment by competing pay-TV providers,” it said.
But Sky, owned by Australian-American media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, said it would appeal against the “unwarranted intervention”, arguing it would be to the detriment of consumers.
“This is a marketplace where customers are well served with high levels of choice and innovation,” said Sky, which virtually monopolises sports on British television and the broadcasting of Premier League football around the world.
Bodies representing football, rugby, and cricket – which rely on lucrative TV rights deals – also criticised the proposals, which could affect their share of the money.
A spokesperson for the English Premier League said it was “very disappointed” and was studying the findings carefully.
The ruling comes at a time of growing concern of the impact of the lack of regulation on the world’s richest that has led to clubs moving away from their local roots and building up massive debts with an influx of foreign players, coaches and owners acting as mercenaries and vultures.