Has News Corp Australia sold its pay-tv business Foxtel to a mystery buyer in a secret deal?
That’s the wild theory that has been circulating on several internet forums and social media platforms this week.
The speculation kicked off on Monday when Independent Journalist and Anti-News Corp crusader, Michael West released a YouTube video to his subscribers where he offered some armchair analysis of a News Australia Holdings directors report recently lodged with ASIC.
In one section of the video, West observes a July change in the ownership structure for News Corps subscription video services.
“It looks as though he (Rupert Murdoch) has sold Foxtel,” West tells his audience, adding “It doesn’t say where it’s gone, it doesn’t say who’s bought it.”
Now while its certainly true Foxtel has had to restructure its business significantly and has taken on more debt in recent years, TV Blackbox can confirm (we really shouldn’t have to) that no secret deal has taken place.
For the record, there has been no sale. News Corp remains a 65% owner in Foxtel, with Telstra still holding the remaining 35%.
A spokesperson for Foxtel was happy to clarify the matter today telling TV Blackbox,
