MUMBAI: UK media watchdog Ofcom has stepped up its investigation into whether James Murdoch is a "fit and proper" person to sit on the board of BSkyB.

The open ended Ofcom investigation is examining mounting evidence of wrongdoing at Rupert Murdoch?s British newspapers and whether it impinges on BSkyB as a "fit and proper" holder of a license.

It will increase the scrutiny on Murdoch?s position at the pay TV service provider. Reports add that this could eventually lead to News Corp selling down its 39.1 per cent stake in a company it wanted to buy outright last summer.

Ofcom has formed a project team to examine evidence of phone hacking and corrupt payments emerging from the police and the Leveson inquiry.

The media regulator set up a dedicated group of seven or eight staff under the name Project Apple.

MUMBAI: James Murdoch has stepped down as the executive chairman of News International, the publisher of the now defunct News of the World, to focus on the broadcast business of News Corporation, the parent company of News International.

The junior Murdoch will relocate to News Corp?s headquarters in New York as the deputy chief operating officer, News Corp said in a statement.

Tom Mockridge, CEO of News International, will continue in his post and will report to News Corporation president and COO Chase Carey.

"We are all grateful for James? leadership at News International and across Europe and Asia, where he has made lasting contributions to the group?s strategy in paid digital content and its efforts to improve and enhance governance programmes," said News Corporation chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch.

"He has demonstrated leadership and continues to create great value at Star TV, Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia, and BSkyB. Now that he has moved to New York, James will continue to assume a variety of essential corporate leadership mandates, with particular focus on important pay-TV businesses and broader international operations."

James Murdoch, who was under fire from the UK authorities following the phone hacking scandal that had engulfed the News of the World, said he was looking to his relocation to News Corp.

"I deeply appreciate the dedication of my many talented colleagues at News International who work tirelessly to inform the public and am confident about the tremendous momentum we have achieved under the leadership of my father and Tom Mockridge," he said.

"With the successful launch of The Sun on Sunday and new business practices in place across all titles, News International is now in a strong position to build on its successes in the future. As Deputy Chief Operating Officer, I look forward to expanding my commitment to News Corporation?s international television businesses and other key initiatives across the Company."
NOTW ceased publication after 168 years following its final print edition on 10 July which resulted in the loss of around 200 jobs.

The News International publishes three news papers, The Times, The Sun and The Sunday Times besides the launch of Sunday edition of The Sun.

MUMBAI: UK pay TV service provider BSkyB has posted a revenue of ?3.4 billion for first half of the fiscal ended 31 December 2011, up six per cent over the earlier year.

BSkyB reported its highest ever first-half adjusted operating profit, up 16 per cent to ?601 million.

Efficiency programmes delivered lower operating costs. Adjusted operating margin was up 160 basis points to 17.9 per cent. Adjusted free cash flow was also up by 12 per cent to ?495 million.

BSkyB experienced continued growth in products and customers in the quarter. Total net product grew to 26.8 million, up 13 per cent. It added 100,000 new households to reach 10.471 million customers.

BSkyB said it had a good response to price freeze; customer loyalty was strong in a tough economic environment with
churn of 9.6 per cent. There was also a continued improvement in product mix with more than three million customers taking all three of TV, broadband and telephony, up by 26 per cent year on year. Customers are responding to innovation with 2.5 million users of Sky Go to date.

Plans for 2012: The company is bringing more content for customers, including home grown comedy and drama and a new channel dedicated to Formula 1.

BSkyB has done agreements to add BBC iPlayer and ITV Player to Anytime+. It is also offering free access to 10,000 WiFi hotspots to Sky Broadband Unlimited customers. Fibre broadband will be available to 30 per cent of UK households from April, offering up to 40Mb broadband speeds and unlimited usage for ?20 a month.

BSkyB will also launch a new Internet based pay TV service aimed at new customers. It will create 1,300 Sky jobs across the UK and Ireland over the next two years.

Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch said, ?We expect the environment to remain tough in calendar 2012. No consumer business can be immune to these conditions and we will manage any short-term headwinds as they emerge. Staying focused on the long-term opportunity, we?ve got a strong set of plans to keep delivering for customers and shareholders. This will be an outstanding year on screen, including more original British productions and a new channel dedicated to Formula 1, and we have exciting products in the pipeline that will create more ways to access our content and more reasons to join and stay with us.?

The company delivered a strong first half performance with good growth in customers and products and record financial results.

"We saw growth in every product category, with a particularly strong performance in home communications. As a result, customers are now taking an average of 2.6 products, up 13 per cent on last year, and Arpu continues to rise, reaching a new high of ?544," said Darroch.

Outlook: Sky does not expect any material improvement in the macro backdrop in calendar 2012, with strong consumer headwinds anticipated in the early part of the year.

"While remaining cautious in respect of the economic outlook, we continue to expect that the strength and flexibility of our business will deliver further progress. Our growth will stay broadly-based, increasing product penetration and adding new households where it makes sense. We will also continue to invest in core areas for customers and we have a strong set of plans for the year ahead, including more great content, a strong product pipeline and the launch of an entirely new internet based pay TV service aimed at new customers. Alongside that, we will maintain our focus on operating efficiency because this underpins our ability to keep investing for customers," said Darroch.

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks is expanding its UK presence by wholly acquiring the channels business of Dolphin Broadcasting and taking a majority stake in ad sales house, Dolphin TV.

The five Dolphin television channels are Movies4Men, Movies4Men+1, Movies4Men2, Movies4Men2+1 and Men&Movies. The channels target an older, male demographic, offering movies and television content including war, western and action films. They are available on Sky and Freesat, as well as Freeview in Manchester.

The acquisition of Dolphin?s channels business will add five new channels to SPT?s UK network portfolio, building on SPT?s launch of the Sony Entertainment Television channel in April this year.

The stake in Dolphin TV Ltd is an important step in SPT?s long term goal to build an advertising sales business across Europe, joining other SPT advertising joint ventures in territories including Romania and Croatia.

SPT senior VP, networks, Europe, Middle East and Africa Eddie Nelson said, "Increasing our foothold in the UK is an important part of our EMEA growth plan. As a well established specialist in the UK?s multichannel market, Dolphin is an ideal fit for SPT as we develop our channel portfolio and focus on expanding Dolphin?s market share of advertising sales. We are extremely excited about working with Dolphin?s existing clients and developing the teleshopping business."

Dolphin?s channels business will now merge with SPT?s existing UK networks business, led by SVP broadcast and channel development, Kate Marsh, who reports into Nelson.

Dolphin TV MD David Goffin said: "Sony Pictures Television is a great strategic fit for our own channels and our advertising sales business. Naturally we are delighted to become part of SPT. The UK sales market is rapidly evolving and this allows us to invest in our core areas of spot and teleshopping sales."

Dolphin TV, the ad business, will continue to operate under the same name and management team, and from the same office in London. The business is led by Goffin, who now reports into Nelson. Current Dolphin TV spot advertising clients include CSC Media Group?s True Movies and the Welsh broadcaster, S4C; with teleshopping clients Channel 4, ITV, BskyB, Chello and Ulster TV.

MUMBAI: Amidst the controversy over the phone hacking scandal, James Murdoch has stepped down as a director of News Group Newspapers, which publishes The Sun and used to produce News of The World before the scandal forced it to close.

He also resigned from the boards of The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times

The move reports state could pave the way for the newspapers to be sold off as News Corp tries to control the damage that has been done. He is still News International chairman though.

Meanwhile Britain?s shadow culture secretary Harriet Harman has called for Murdoch to explain why he has stepped down from the boards of News Group Newspapers and Times Newspapers.

"James Murdoch should make clear why he has stepped down in this way. This does not lessen in any way the need for him to answer questions or take responsibility for what happened on his watch. Furthermore, the concerns about whether he is a fit and proper person to run BSkyB remain," she said in a statement.

MUMBAI: Crime and Investigation Network, a flagship channel of media content company A+E Networks, has launched in the Middle East with distribution platform OSN.

The launch marks the debut of the channel in the region.

Crime and Investigation Network will be offered as part of OSN?s Platinum Extra HD and Premier Plus HD packages. The channel is programmed and operated in the Middle East by A+E Networks UK, a joint venture between A+E Networks and BSkyB.

The launch in the Middle East marks the third new territory launch for Crime and Investigation Network this year. The channel launched in Spain in January and in the Benelux in June.

The growth of Crime and Investigation Network extends to South East Asia, where subscribers are up 38 per cent since January. Announcements about additional new territory launches are expected by the end of the year.

Crime and Investigation Network is unmatched in the variety of premiere crime programming on offer. The channel will feature a line-up of true crime series and specials such as ?The FBI Files?, ?The First 48? and ?Steven Seagal: Lawman?.

Crime and Investigation Network opens the door to real crime labs, police archives and the justice system, providing viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at criminal investigations, probing unexplained mysteries and examining the lives of infamous murderers and outlaws. As police work to ?crack? some of the world?s most fascinating crimes, viewers witness first-hand how law enforcement agencies utilise detective work and the latest forensic investigation tools to solve cases.

A+E Networks UK MD Tom Davidson said, "We are delighted to enhance our portfolio offering with OSN. Crime and Investigation Network has joined HISTORY on the platform and is now available for the first time to subscribers in the Middle East. Extending our distribution for this channel is a priority for our business and OSN is an ideal partner given their strong emphasis on delivering quality content to their subscribers in the region."

OSN CEO David Butorac said, "We?re delighted to announce the addition of Crime and Investigation Network to OSN, the leading pay-TV network in the Middle East and Africa. We are committed to delivering OSN customers the widest choice of high quality Arabic, Western and Filipino entertainment and we believe that Crime and Investigation Network is a great addition to our 90 channel line-up of premium entertainment."

Crime and Investigation Network is the second A+E Networks brand to launch in the region; History launched in the Middle East in 2002, and is operated by A+E Networks UK.

In the UK, Crime and Investigation Network launched in July 2006. The channel first launched in Australia on FoxTel in 2005, and is now available in 98 territories, reaching over 39 million households.