MUMBAI: Media conglomerate Rupert Murdoch?s troubles are far from over. Australia‘s competition watchdog has questioned the bid by Murdoch‘s cable television operation, FOXTEL, to buy out rival operator, Austar.

Murdoch‘s News Limited, a subsidiary of News Corp, has significant stakes in Australian media, and also controls the country‘s largest subscription television provider, FOXTEL, which has 1.63 million subscribers.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission told Friday that the cable agreement would create "a near monopoly" in the pay-TV service market.

The ACCC‘s statement is only its initial finding. The contract cannot go through without its consent.