An alliance of media businesses opposed to Rupert Murdoch's bid to take full control of BSkyB said it is "fanciful" to hope Sky News will be kept independent after the proposed takeover, the Press Association has reported.
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The coalition - including BT, Guardian Media Group, Associated Newspapers, Trinity Mirror, Northcliffe Media and the Telegraph Media Group - argued that Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt's plans to wave through the News Corp takeover are flawed.
In a legal submission to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the group said Hunt's proposed decision breaks precedent and goes against regulatory advice, claiming News Corp's undertakings will not address concerns over media plurality.
The media business submission to the DCMS came to light the same day as results of a survey commissioned by campaign network Avaaz suggested an overwhelming majority of Britons opposed News Corp's move for BSkyB.
Details of the DCMS submission follow a Financial Times report suggesting the alliance of media businesses has privately admitted it has virtually no chance of success in blocking Murdoch's plans.
