How do today’s press judge Ofcom’s attempt to set a price control on Sky Sports 1 and 2? Well, nobody is going to come at this subject cold, seeing as Murdochs are involved, but it seems that the press scored a clear win for Ed Richards at Ofcom. Here’s a tally.
Financial Times: Ofcom 1-0 Sky. Big score from the unaligned heavy.
“Although it intends to kick and scream, Sky should have few complaints” says the leader on page 12, saying that the satellite broadcaster’s lack of public service obligations is a position “that looks harder to sustain”. Ben Fenton on p3 notes that the “impact on [Sky's] profits will be relatively small” — about 1.6 per cent in 2011 according to investment bank Bernstein.
Daily Mail. Ofcom 2-0 Sky
Careful words from Lucy Farndon on p98, broadly endorsing Ed Richards: “If this results in more households gaining access to the nation’s favourite sport at a lower cost and without having to blight their homes with a satellite dish, it must surely be welcomed” — although as I recall city editor Alex Brummer was, earlier this week, not quite so sure. He’s not writing today though.
The Sun. Ofcom 2 – 1 Sky
No surprise here, the leader on page 8 though knows who to blame. “Labour have decided Sky must hand over its content cheaply to rivals who have never taken Sky’s risks”. Concludes that the Reds are “a ragbag of meddling Lefties”. And there you were thinking Ofcom was an independent regulator (although run by a former Labour adviser).
The Daily Telegraph. Ofcom 2-1 Sky
No score here. Damian Reece is unconvinced Ofcom has had much impact, describing its “compromise solution” as a waste of time if it fails to achieve “a sea change in prices”. He also reckons that Sky might prove “even better than its competitors in this new, level-playing field” which would only lead to a new enquiry.
The Guardian Ofcom 3-1 Sky
No surprise which way The Graun is gonna go either. Nils Pratley on p29 praises Richards for not going in too hard, and setting a relatively light price control. “Sympathy should lie with the referee,” he says saying “Richards’ ruling is based in common sense”.
The Times Ofcom 3 -1 Sky
Straight down the line news reporting from The Times, with no commentary. You couldn’t score it either way really, although there is an emphasis on the complaints of the Premier League and the sports rights bodies.
Elsewhere, the Mirror also comes out against Sky, but seeing as that commentary was written by yours truly on page 8, it would be wrong to mark it. Will dig up the other papers later when I’ve got time.
