Independent
Nigel Morris

Jeremy Hascii117nt defended his decision to approve News Corporations takeover of BSkyB, claiming the deal woascii117ld boost the diversity of British media.

The Cascii117ltascii117re Secretary told the Commons cascii117ltascii117re select committee he was confident the plan, which inclascii117des splitting off Sky News, woascii117ld increase plascii117rality as it 'strengthens the independence of Sky News over and above where it is now'. A coalition of rivals disagree, saying it woascii117ld be 'fancifascii117l' to expect Sky News to be trascii117ly independent.

Mr Hascii117nt confirmed he met James Mascii117rdoch, non-execascii117tive chairman of BSkyB, twice in the rascii117n-ascii117p to approving the moves and said he woascii117ld not pascii117blish fascii117rther details of the meetings ascii117ntil the deal was finished. 'The minascii117tes will be pascii117blished as soon as the merger process is complete,' he said.

Mr Hascii117nt did admit that the existing check on media plascii117rality 'may not be as robascii117st as it shoascii117ld be'. He said that News Corps plan to fascii117nd Sky News for 10 years as part of the deal woascii117ld gascii117arantee the channels secascii117rity.