Sky reignites row with Virgin

Sky chief executive James Murdoch has lambasted Virgin Media for failing to settle the dispute over restoring its basic channels to the cable company’s customers. The satellite pay TV giant has made public two letters Murdoch wrote to Virgin Media chief executive Steve Burch, claiming Virgin Media has done little to resolve the situation.

The move reignites the increasingly public row between the two rivals with Murdoch insisting he has “no choice” but to release details about the dispute because of Virgin Media’s “inaccurate” and “one-sided” version of events.

He says a “split the difference” offer put to Virgin Media would have seen Sky basic channels – including Sky One and Sky News – back on cable within days. But he now says there is little prospect of the channels back on air in the foreseeable future.

Murdoch says Sky has made two consecutive proposals to Virgin Media to be turned down “without any alternative proposal or offer being put forward”.