What took him so long? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8227915.stm I think the key here is the line about plurality of news sources. As a nation the UK lacks the diversity of online – news sources that other countries – especially the US has. And this has a lot to do with this.
“The BBC is dominant,” Mr Murdoch said. “Other organisations might rise and fall but the BBC’s income is guaranteed and growing.”
“The scope of its activities and ambitions is chilling.”
Murdoch also talked about the dilemma facing media providers about charging for content.
Mr Murdoch said free news on the web provided by the BBC made it “incredibly difficult” for private news organisations to ask people to pay for their news.
“It is essential for the future of independent digital journalism that a fair price can be charged for news to people who value it,” he said.
News Corporation has said it will start charging online customers for news content across all its websites
My feeling is that a Cameron/Murdoch deal is on the cards that maybe looks a bit like this http://ashleynorris.posterous.com/why-i-think-well-be-paying-for-the-bbc-news-w
btw James Murdoch once named me as his favourite blogger in an interview for the FT. http://www.shinymedia.com/2006/01/and_james_murdo.html
That was a very very long time ago