Editing Sky Group (section)

===Stake in ITV===
[[ITV plc]] has been the subject of a flurry of rumoured take-over and merger bids since it was formed. For example, on 9 November 2006, [[NTL:Telewest|NTL]] announced that it had approached ITV plc about a proposed merger.<ref>{{Cite press release
 |title        = Ntl Incorporated Discussions with ITV plc
 |publisher    = [[NTL:Telewest|NTL]]
 |date         = 9 November 2006
 |url          = http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre/press/display.asp?id=874
 |access-date  = 6 December 2006
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20061113134817/http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre/press/display.asp?id=874
 |archive-date = 13 November 2006
 |url-status   = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release
 |title        = ITV and NTL 'in merger talks'
 |publisher    = ITV plc
 |date         = 9 November 2006
 |url          = http://www.itvplc.com/itv/news/releases/pr2006/2006-11-09/
 |access-date  = 6 December 2006
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20061130073001/http://www.itvplc.com/itv/news/releases/pr2006/2006-11-09/
 |archive-date = 30 November 2006
 |url-status   = dead
}}</ref> The merger was effectively blocked by BSkyB on 17 November 2006 when it controversially bought a 17.9% stake in ITV plc for £940&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Welsh
  | first = James
  | title = Sky buys 17.9% of ITV
  | website = [[Digital Spy]]
  | date = 17 November 2006
  | url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds39556.html
  | access-date = 6 December 2006
  | archive-date = 23 August 2009
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090823052547/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds39556.html
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref> a move that attracted anger from NTL shareholder [[Richard Branson]]<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Wilkes
  | first = Neil
  | title = Sky/ITV: Branson statement in full
  | website = [[Digital Spy]]
  | date = 20 November 2006
  | url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds39642.html
  | access-date = 6 December 2006
  | archive-date = 25 August 2009
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090825191026/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds39642.html
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref> and an investigation from media and telecoms regulator [[Ofcom]].<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Welsh
  | first = James
  | title = Ofcom examines impact of Sky's ITV stake
  | website=[[Digital Spy]]
  | date = 21 November 2006
  | url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds39694.html
  | access-date =6 December 2006 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061127204411/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds39694.html| archive-date= 27 November 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref> On 6 December 2006, NTL announced that it had complained to the [[Office of Fair Trading]] about BSkyB's move. NTL stated that it had withdrawn its attempt to buy ITV plc, citing that it did not believe that there was any possibility to make a deal on favourable terms.<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Oatts
  | first = Joanne
  | title = NTL complains about Sky as it drops plans for ITV Ofcom
  | website = [[Digital Spy]]
  | date = 6 December 2006
  | url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40409.html
  | access-date = 6 December 2006
  | archive-date = 25 August 2009
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090825185616/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40409.html
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref> On 17 July 2014, BSkyB's 6.4% stake in ITV was sold to [[Liberty Global]], valued at £481&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clover |first=Julian |url=http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2014/07/17/liberty-global-makes-481m-investment-in-itv/ |title=Liberty Global makes £481m investment in ITV |publisher=Broadband TV News |date=17 July 2014 |access-date=17 July 2014}}</ref>