LONDON: Sky News is preparing to part ways with its UAE broadcasting venture, with a dispute over the channel’s coverage of the Sudan conflict at the heart of the split, The Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.
The newspaper, recently acquired by German publisher Axel Springer, said Sky News had effectively served notice that it would not renew Sky News Arabia’s license to use the Sky brand, which is due to expire next year.
Sky executives told IMI — a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corp., owned by UAE Vice President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan — of the decision late last year and had since completed the legal groundwork to allow the license to lapse.
Talks between the two sides are ongoing, however, and a deal to preserve the partnership has not been entirely ruled out.
Sky News Arabia stands accused of whitewashing atrocities carried out by the Rapid Support Forces, the Sudanese paramilitary group widely reported to receive UAE backing — an allegation Abu Dhabi has long denied.
