Murdoch's News Corp also owns the Fox network

But the Financial Times says the draft version of the government's Communications Bill will preserve the existing rules on newspaper proprietors owning TV stations.

At present, no group which owns more than 20% of the national newspaper market may own more than 20% of a free-to-air TV or radio broadcaster.

The new legislation on cross-media ownership is expected in late April.

The FT quotes an unnamed minister as saying: "There are real worries about newspapers getting together with radio and TV ownership because there would be difficulties as far as editorial independence was concerned."

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport declined to comment on the FT's claim.

BSkyB has been mooted as a saviour for ITV Digital

A spokeswoman told BBC News Online: "Ministers are still looking at responses to the consultation, and those will be fed into the draft Communications Bill."

Mr Murdoch's News Corporation also declined to comment.

The corporation is expected to vigorously lobby the government to clear the way for a potential move into terrestrial television.

One effect of Mr Murdoch's being locked out of the terrestrial market would be to deepen the uncertainty over the future of troubled ITV Digital.

His television company BSkyB has been viewed as a possible saviour of the digital terrestrial broadcaster.