BBC's satellite row could go to the ITC

The BBC have threatened to call in the ITC to settle their dispute with BSkyB over satellite carriage, after talks last week failed to resolve the issue.
The row began when BSkyB were informed that the BBC no longer needed the group's encryption services and would beam their channels to 6.6 million Sky viewers through a different satellite carrier.
BSkyB retaliated by warning that dispensing with the encryption system, known as "conditional access", would result in BBC1 and BBC2 losing their favourable 101 and 102 positions on the pop-up listings service and the electronic programming guide (EPG). Experts believe demotion to the lower reaches of the EPG would damage the corporation's viewing figures in Sky homes.
According to the Media Guardian, a BBC spokesperson said the corporation would take their case to the ITC if BSkyB removed BBC channels from the top of the programming guide, as ITC regulations state that public service broadcasters must have a position of "due prominence" on the EPG.
The justification for BBC demotion could be Irish state broadcaster RTE, who have a reached a conditional access deal for the 101 and 102 positions on the BSkyB network in Ireland.
The Astra 2D satellite booked by the BBC broadcasts to Ireland, so BSkyB said they would remove the BBC from the top EPG slots on their UK and Ireland networks to protect their agreement with RTE.
(GB)