Murdoch sues Skype for using his three letters

Rupert Murdoch, melted Peter Cushing lookalike and creator of Sky TV, has launched a legal challenge at VoIP service Skype over using the word 'Sky' in its name and logo.

The New York Stock Exchange

In announcing its intention to float Skype on the New York Stock Exchange, the owners of the Internet service mentioned the challenge from BSkyB over using its name in the EU, the Independent reports.

If Sky were to win the legal battle and Skype was forced to use a different name, it "may have a material adverse effect on our business", the company noted. Skype, a name which has already become synonymous with free Internet calls, would essentially have to rebuild its brand from scratch in the EU.

It's hard to tell if Sky and Skype are actually competitors, which may be Sky's main motivation. Both are in the business of telephony, Sky providing landline calls and broadband whereas Skype's calls are over the Internet. Nevertheless, for Murdoch the similarity is too much to bear.