Ofcom probes Murdoch’s fitness to run BSkyB

Even though BSkyB has generally missed the opprobrium recently heaped upon the Murdoch family and News Corp, UK regulator Ofcom is said to be investigating James Murdoch’s fitness to run the DTH provider. According to the Reuters news agency, Ofcom has set up a dedicated team, under the code name 'Project Apple' to investigate material emerging from the Leveson inquiry and the police's investigations into phone hacking and the corrupting of public officials, and to judge if there are grounds to consider the status of both James Murdoch and News Corp, which holds a 39.1% in the broadcaster of which Murdoch is chairman, as "fit and proper" persons to own the broadcasting licence. "Ofcom has a duty under the UK Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996 to be satisfied that any person holding a broadcasting licence is, and remains, fit and proper to do so," an Ofcom spokesperson told Reuters. “New evidence is still emerging from hacking and corruption allegations. Ofcom is continuing to assess the evidence, including the new and emerging evidence that may assist it in discharging its duties."