ITV has asked the Competition Commission to force Sky to sell its 17.9% stake in the third channel broadcaster. Sky acquired the stake in ITV last year and while the purchase did not contravene media ownership rules, the Competition Commission recently ruled Sky having such a big influence over ITV restricted competition in the wider broadcasting industry. The Commission is considering possible remedies to overcome that fact, of which forcing Sky to sell the whole stake is just one, but ITV have now said that as far as they are concerned it's the only acceptable solution.
ITV has told the Commission: "Any other remedy would not fully address each of the heads of material influence which BSkyB holds. Furthermore, such a remedy is both consistent with the Competition Commission's broader principles as regards remedies and would avoid the difficulties of supplementary behavioural remedies. In particular, neither behavioural remedies nor a divestment to 9.9% would satisfactorily address the heads of material influence identified by the Competition Commission. ITV is also concerned that a reduction in BSkyB's stake to 4.9% would not address all of the heads of material influence. However, if the Competition Commission were minded to propose a partial divestment, a reduction to 4.9% (accompanied by a prohibition on seeking or accepting board representation) would at least begin to address ITV's concerns and would have a sounder analytical base than a reduction to 9.9%".
All of which, I'm sure, is perfectly clear.