A media group alliance has said it is "fanciful" to hope Sky News will be kept independent under Rupert Murdoch's bid to take full control of BSkyB.
The coalition - including BT, Guardian Media Group, Associated Newspapers, Trinity Mirror, Northcliffe Media and the Telegraph Media Group - argued that Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt's plans to wave through the News Corp takeover are flawed.
In a legal submission to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the group said Mr Hunt's proposed decision breaks precedent and goes against regulatory advice, claiming News Corp's undertakings will not address concerns over media plurality.
But details of the submission follow a Financial Times report suggesting the alliance has privately admitted it has virtually no chance of success in blocking Mr Murdoch's plans.
It is thought they have not been able to reach agreement on whether to go ahead with a judicial review, although the alliance is not said to have reached a decision yet.
Mr Hunt said earlier this month he was minded to back News Corp's proposals to spin off Sky News as part of any deal to buy the remaining 61% in BSkyB it does not already own.
The media giant offered to make the channel into a separate independent company and subsidise it for a decade.
Mr Hunt launched a 15-day consultation on the undertakings before making his final decision, with the deadline closing on Monday at midday.
The media alliance will have three months from the final decision to launch a judicial review.
Its submission claims the planned Sky News spin-off does not address Ofcom's main objection - that the deal would reduce media diversity - saying it would remain financially dependent on BSkyB.
