Sky takeover won't affect media impartiality

News Corp's takeover of British Sky Broadcasting Group will not affect editorial impartiality in the media, UK culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said last week, according to the Wall Street Journal.

He told fellow lawmakers in parliament that the takeover process has been “completely transparent” to ensure it maintained public trust and support in the companies and the process.

The Telegraph reports that Hunt has given opponents one final week in which to raise objections.

However, he has provisionally agreed to proposals that will see Sky News as an independent company to allay fears that the deal would give Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation too much control of the media.

The Daily Mail writes that the government was accused of making a 'seedy deal' as Murdoch moved a step closer to taking full control of satellite broadcaster BskyB.

Labour former minister Tom Watson hit out at Hunt's decision to provisionally accept plans to hive off Sky News as a separate company.

In tense exchanges in the Commons, Watson told Hunt: “I'm sure you will get your reward for this decision, that you will pay a very high political price. This seedy deal would shame a banana republic.”