News Corp ups Sky takeover bid

News Corporation has offered to give guarantees on the way it would run British SkyBroadcasting and its other media companies in return for securing European Commission approval for its proposed bid for the satellite broadcaster, reports FT.com.

Brussels said it had received the offer from News Corporation and was extending the deadline for the first phase of its competition inquiry from 8 December 22 December.

Analysts said News Corporation was trying to avoid the inquiry being extended to a second phase, which could take an additional six months. No details of the remedies offered by the media giant were given, but people familiar with the process said it did not involve any substantial changes to the businesses, such as the sale of major assets.

Haliburton Broadcasting Group has purchased two Niagara Falls FM radio stations, Cflz-FM and Ckey-FM from Niagara Radio Group, the companies jointly revealed, states The Niagara Falls Review.

"I am very pleased to be able to turn these two radio stations over to Christopher Grossman. His solid track record of delivering good quality local radio was instrumental in my decision to sell. I know our listeners, clients and staff will be well looked-after," Andrew Ferri, president of Niagara Radio Group, says.

Grossman is president and CEO of Haliburton broadcasting, which owns and operates 14 radio stations throughout Ontario. Its mandate is to create live, local radio with a strong focus on local information and community service, a media release said.

Brunei and Singapore will continue to improve their bilateral cooperation in the field of digital broadcasting and strive to work together to exchange expertise and ideas, writes Brudirect.

Last week saw the opening ceremony of 20th Joint Technical Committee under the Memorandum of Understanding between the government of the sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the government of the Republic of Singapore on cooperation in the field of broadcasting.

The event was held at the Empire Hotel and Country Club in Jerudong. Present to officiate the meeting was Dato Paduka Haji Omar bin Haji Abdul Rahman, permanent secretary at the prime minister's Office and the head of delegation of Brunei Darussalam.