Interview with James Murdoch: „Consumers will have more control over our products“

Handelsblatt: Mr. Murdoch, you already arrived yesterday evening here in Munich. Did you watch any German TV at your hotel?

Murdoch: No, it was too late. But, naturally, I get Sky Deutschland at my London office.

German television would certainly have just depressed you last night.

Why?

Germany has the most expensive public television programming in the world. You probably were asking yourself all night long, how you were supposed to make any money with your pay-TV station that is losing money.

As an investor, I feel that we have been nothing but welcomed here. The market is transparent and fair and that has made it attractive, particularly coming back in to Germany after a long break.

That doesn?t change the tough market conditions. How good actually are the prospects for your pay station Sky Deutschland?

The German market is not as unique as you say it is. In other European countries, the public stations are also very strong and well-financed. In addition, we have been involved in the German market for many years. News Corp companies like Twentieth Century Fox have been selling programming in the market for a long time and have strong partnerships with broadcasters like Pro SiebenSat 1. I am clear what I have got myself into.

What is it then that you?ve got yourself into? What do German viewers want?

I think that viewers would like to have more choice and better quality. Viewers want the latest in technology, HD TV and 3D. We offer all of this at a fair price. In Great Britain, Italy and in our fastest-growing market India, we have had a great deal of success with our services. I am convinced that a 21st century digital broadcaster, such as Sky, will have a real role to play for many customers in Germany.