News Limited almost bought Skype

Stuart Corner
Saturday, 10 September 2005 15:28

IT Industry - Deals

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation made an approach to buy Internet phone company, Skype, for around $US3 billion, but talks broke down, according to the UK newspaper, The Independent. The paper said that Skype had denied it was up for sale, but added "sources in the telecoms industry say they expect it to be taken over shortly".

It said the talks had broken down just before Rupert Murdoch's son Lachlan quit his father's empire, and suggested that "Skype would have fitted in well with News Corp's satellite TV interests, which include controlling minorities in DirecTV in the US and BSkyB in the UK."