Panorama has claimed that NDS, a subsidiary of News Corporation, hired a man who ran a piracy website and had him post codes which allowed viewers to watch ITV Digital channels for free.
The widespread availability of the codes led to the collapse of ITV Digital, previously ON Digital, killing Sky TV’s main rival in 2002 just four years after the venture was launched.
If proven the allegations will cause even greater damage to the reputation Rupert Murdoch’s empire, and could leave the company facing questions over whether it funded piracy.