This latest clash between the broadcaster and regulator comes as a result of BSkyB's intention to replace Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Three, currently available on Freeview, with pay-TV channels. Ofcom has ordered a public consultation into the plans.
BSkyB wanted the changes carried out in time for the start of the Premiership football season, in order to challenge the monopoly on Freeview held by Irish-owned sports TV company Setanta.
But with Ofcom's Ed Richards claiming to have only recently received enough information from BSkyB to undertake the enquiry, there are set to be delays to the start of the process until early autumn.
Speaking at last week's Institute of Economic Affairs Future of Broadcasting conference, Darcey said Ofcom had been "duped into playing along" with rival media groups BT, Virgin Media, Setanta Sports and Top-Up TV.
He described the companies as a "gang of four united by their aversion to competition" who were "engaged in an unseemly scramble to have Sky's proposal for digital terrestrial television blocked or at least delayed".
But Ofcom's Richards, speaking at the same conference, refuted claims that the enquiry had come as a surprise.
He said: "We have been talking about this for many months and BSkyB was well aware we were going to consult on it."
He blamed BSkyB for the slow progress and added: "The only reason that there has been a delay is because Sky has not provided us with the information we needed until now. This is despite the fact we had been promised it for many months."
Stephen Burch, chief executive of Virgin Media, also spoke at the conference, but he and BSkyB's Darcey kept reference to the recent conflict between the two firms to a minimum.
Darcey said: "We have regrettably chosen not to continue paying large fees for some channels, including Bravo, Challenge and Trouble. Sky has preferred to focus its finances on higher priorities."
He wished Virgin Media well with the new Virgin 1 channel and said: "It's hard to tell whether Virgin Media has made a good choice."
When asked why Virgin Media had chosen to invest in a new channel as opposed to continue paying for Sky channels, Burch said: "Everyone has choices to make in terms of the content they want to carry.
"We had a long, deep discussion with Sky regarding its basic content and couldn't agree on what we felt worked, so we decided to go elsewhere and they decided to do their own thing as well."
BSkyB wanted the changes carried out in time for the start of the Premiership football season, in order to challenge the monopoly on Freeview held by Irish-owned sports TV company Setanta.
But with Ofcom's Ed Richards claiming to have only recently received enough information from BSkyB to undertake the enquiry, there are set to be delays to the start of the process until early autumn.
Speaking at last week's Institute of Economic Affairs Future of Broadcasting conference, Darcey said Ofcom had been "duped into playing along" with rival media groups BT, Virgin Media, Setanta Sports and Top-Up TV.
He described the companies as a "gang of four united by their aversion to competition" who were "engaged in an unseemly scramble to have Sky's proposal for digital terrestrial television blocked or at least delayed".
But Ofcom's Richards, speaking at the same conference, refuted claims that the enquiry had come as a surprise.
He said: "We have been talking about this for many months and BSkyB was well aware we were going to consult on it."
He blamed BSkyB for the slow progress and added: "The only reason that there has been a delay is because Sky has not provided us with the information we needed until now. This is despite the fact we had been promised it for many months."
Stephen Burch, chief executive of Virgin Media, also spoke at the conference, but he and BSkyB's Darcey kept reference to the recent conflict between the two firms to a minimum.
Darcey said: "We have regrettably chosen not to continue paying large fees for some channels, including Bravo, Challenge and Trouble. Sky has preferred to focus its finances on higher priorities."
He wished Virgin Media well with the new Virgin 1 channel and said: "It's hard to tell whether Virgin Media has made a good choice."
When asked why Virgin Media had chosen to invest in a new channel as opposed to continue paying for Sky channels, Burch said: "Everyone has choices to make in terms of the content they want to carry.
"We had a long, deep discussion with Sky regarding its basic content and couldn't agree on what we felt worked, so we decided to go elsewhere and they decided to do their own thing as well."
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