Secret talks predated TV deal
The unease among many surrounding the ECB's deal with BSkyB just won;t go away
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The unease among many surrounding the ECB's deal with BSkyB just won;t go away. Despite sports minister Richard Caborn's virtual refusal to consider reviewing the contract on Tuesday, now the government is coming under pressure to explain conversations between Tessa Jowell, the culture secretary, and James Murdoch, the head of BSkyB and son of billionaire media maganate and Blair supporter, Rupert:
Extracts from the confidential minutes of the meeting were released to the Guardian under a Freedom of Information Act request, but details of the discussion about the broadcasting rights were withheld. The minutes of the meeting held on November 23 2004 marked "restricted" reveal that Murdoch "said he would like to discuss sports, the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board] and the broadcast of Test cricket matches"
Martin Williamson is executive editor of ESPNcricinfo and managing editor of ESPN Digital Media in Europe, the Middle East and Africa