Seventh Annual Report of the Sky News Board

Seventh Annual Report of the Sky News Board

Under the Post Offer Undertakings dated 8 May 2018 and the Deed Poll dated 5 December 2018 (amended and restated on 8 May 2023) the Sky News Board is required to publish a report via RIS announcement on an annual basis, certified by the Independent Chairperson as accurate of:

 i) any representations made by the Executive Chairman Sky News Group or the Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK as to the Sky News Service's

compliance with the Sky News Editorial Guidelines (as required by section 1.1(c)(iv) of Schedule 1 of the Deed Poll);

ii) any matters escalated by the Executive Chairman Sky News Group or the Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK (as provided for in section 3.2(c) of Schedule 1 of the Deed Poll), or if no matters were escalated, confirmation of such; and

iii) any fees paid to the Independent Expert Board Members.

This report covers the period from 5 December 2024 until 4 December 2025. 

i) any representations made by the Executive Chairman Sky News Group or the Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK as to the Sky News Service's compliance with the Sky News Editorial Guidelines (as required by section 1.1(c)(iv) of Schedule 1 of the Deed Poll)

During the period the Board have been provided with regular updates regarding compliance with the Sky News Editorial Guidelines and any issues that have been subject to information requests by Ofcom.

It has not been necessary for the Executive Chairman Sky News Group, the Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK or their predecessor to make representations to the Sky News Board in relation to any specific matters regarding compliance with the Sky News Editorial Guidelines.

 ii) any matters escalated by the Executive Chairman Sky News Group or the Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK (as provided for in section 3.2(c) of Schedule 1 of the Deed Poll), or if no matters were escalated, confirmation of such;

Section 3.2(c) of Schedule 1 of the Deed Poll provides the following:

(c) in the event that the Executive Chairman Sky News Group or the Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK becomes aware of an attempt by any employee or officer of Comcast outside of the Sky-Branded News Service's editorial function to influence the selection or running of news stories or the political comment and opinion to be broadcast on the Sky-Branded News Service, the Executive Chairman Sky News Group or the Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK shall escalate such matters to the Sky News Board.

There were no matters escalated by the Executive Chairman Sky News Group, the Managing Director or their predecessor under Section 3.2 (c)

iii) any fees paid to the Independent Expert Board Members.

The Independent Expert Board Members are paid an annual fee in arrears by equal monthly instalments. In the relevant period the annual fee for each Independent Expert Board Member is as follows:

Mark Astaire, Independent Expert Board Member £40,000

Nigel Baker, Chair of Sky News Board £50,000

Chris Banatvala, Independent Expert Board Member £40,000

Sue Inglish, Independent Expert Board Member £40,000

Certified as accurate by Nigel Baker Chair of the Sky News Board