Raymond Snoddy says at first sight Hunt’s decision not to go for an immediate referral was politically crazy, naïve even, by appearing to succumb to special pleading on such a politically sensitive issue. However, the truth is rather more complicated and not at all what it appears to be…

Raymond Snoddy says one thing is clear, the patently decent, sincere politician (Jeremy Hunt) is committed to retaining impartiality rules for news whether on national or local television. Nothing like a big, bold new Communications Act to take his mind off things when local television goes tits up in 2014…

Raymond Snoddy says Max Mosley has come back to haunt his tormentors: “There is every chance that the judges of the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg could create the Mosley manoeuvre – a new extension of privacy law, which could turn out to be very onerous for the press.”

Raymond Snoddy says despite the poisoned chalice left to him by Vince Cable, Jeremy Hunt will be in the relatively comfortable position of being able to accept a Competition Commission go-ahead for Murdoch’s takeover of BSkyB before the year is out…

Raymond Snoddy becomes a fortune-teller for the day – “everyone can head off to celebrate Christmas in the queues at Heathrow secure in the knowledge that 2011 is sorted. Well, apart from Vince Cable that is – when a politician becomes totally ridiculous the consequences are always inevitable”…

Raymond Snoddy says (in a whisper) that the BBC might not have done too badly in its licence fee battle with the government – “evidence of this can be seen from the obvious anger coming from Rupert Murdoch’s News International. David Cameron has not delivered on their hopes for a very much smaller BBC – something for which we should all be grateful”…

Raymond Snoddy wonders what Nick Shott will make of ‘Channel 6’. “Is it a cunning attempt to launch a new national channel by the back door? I think we can assume that neither Kelvin MacKenzie nor L!VE TV (or even topless darts) have anything to do with this latest plan, though history rarely repeats itself in such a perfect way”…

Raymond Snoddy says “the Lords Select Committee might come out with a clarion call to abolish CRR but I doubt it; the CC will not wish to re-open the can of worms anytime soon; and while the idea of a wide-ranging investigation into all the dark workings of the advertising business is superficially attractive it is difficult to find anybody who actually wants such a cumbersome and time-consuming thing to happen.”

Raymond Snoddy, says the appointment of Rachel Bristow and Peter Duffy to the board of the Newspaper Marketing Agency marks a clear (and cunning) message to the newspaper industry…

Raymond Snoddy, questions the definition of news – from a shaggy dog story that is more newsy than a Royal engagement to the extent to which TV news is “lead by the nose” by everything from dramatic pictures to stunts manufactured by interest groups to get attention…