ITV says Sky takeover by Comcast-owned unit faces “thorough and comprehensive” UK antitrust review

Comcast-owned Sky has completed its acquisition of ITV’s networks and streaming business deal, and ITV management said the combined company should expect a rigorous UK competition review before the transaction can be fully cleared. ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall, speaking during a conference call after the announcement, said the review would be “very through and comprehensive,” with the company expecting the case to progress to Phase 2 under the UK merger-control process, a timeline she estimated at 12 to 18 months for regulatory approval.

The transaction centers on Sky’s planned purchase of ITV’s networks and streaming operations for $2.13 billion, which the report described as about £1.6 billion. ITV did not frame its argument solely around scale, instead saying regulators would need to weigh how the market has changed since earlier attempts to consolidate British broadcasters, including the shift driven by streaming services and online viewing platforms.

McCall told reporters that antitrust scrutiny would be difficult to navigate, noting that the merger would be reviewed as the “biggest merger in the history of U.K. broadcasting.” She said ITV does not expect the process to be a quick rubber stamp and emphasized that the company is preparing for extended engagement with regulators rather than a short determination.

The report pointed to a history of resistance to consolidation in UK television. It said a prior attempt to combine ITV and Sky was rejected after a stealth effort by Sky’s predecessor, BSkyB, then controlled by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., to acquire ITV triggered regulatory backlash. The antitrust concerns at the time included claims that the deal could threaten media plurality, an issue that continues to influence how UK authorities assess the effect of major ownership changes on audiences and competition.

According to the same reporting, regulators also rejected a later proposal known as Project Kangaroo, pursued by ITV, the BBC, and Channel 4. The effort envisioned a joint streaming venture, which the report said was put forward years before Netflix launched in the UK market, and regulators concluded the arrangement would give too much control over British TV content. ITV now argues that the present competitive landscape is different, with ITV and Sky no longer competing only against one another for audience attention and advertising dollars, but instead facing competition from global streaming services.

ITV’s defense, as described in the report, rests on the claim that the market has “changed fundamentally.” The company said it is betting regulators will accept that premise, given the rise of Netflix, YouTube, and other online platforms, and given that the most salient competition pressures for traditional broadcasters now include digital distribution rather than purely pay-TV and free-to-air rivals.

For viewers and the industry, the practical question becomes how regulators will evaluate both the ability of the merged business to compete and the potential effects on content control and plurality. Until the UK review concludes, the transaction will remain subject to the outcome of the competition assessment process described by ITV management, including the possibility of a deeper Phase 2 investigation.

If cleared, the companies would be reshaping how ITV’s traditional television and streaming presence fits within Sky’s distribution and pay-TV footprint. But if regulators continue to emphasize plurality and market-power concerns, the review could require remedies or could delay final clearance, extending the period in which the deal remains under close scrutiny. ITV’s leadership has indicated it expects that scrutiny to be detailed and time-consuming, with approval taking up to 12 to 18 months based on the anticipated Phase 2 process.