EC Seeks Assurance Of BIB’s Market Position

The European Commission is concerned that the launch and operation of Rupert Murdoch’s British Interactive Broadcasting may be harmful to fair competition in the digital marketplace.

Within the next few weeks the EC is expected to request that BIB allays concerns that the broadcaster might restrict access to its networks and subsidise decoding equipment which only receives its, and chosen services. The Commission has, in the past, blocked the launch of European broadcasting services and could do so in this case.

The BIB consortium comprises BSkyB, BT, Midland Bank and Matsushita and launched officially in May last year (subscribers see BSkyB Launches Digital Services Company). If its launch were to be blocked by the EC it would be a significant set-back for digital satellite television as a whole as well as BSkyB.

BIB is currently the only group planning to launch a digital satellite service in the UK.

European Commission: 0171 973 1992 British Interactive Broadcasting: 0171 489 7770