Liberty to buy UK's Virgin Media JOHN Malone's international cable business Liberty Global is close to buying UK cable-television and internet provider Virgin Media for well over US$10 billion (A$9.6bn), in a deal that would create a stronger competitor to market leader British Sky Broadcasting Group. Liberty Global will pay for the deal using a mix of cash and its stock, according to people familiar with the matter, who added that the two sides have held on again-off again talks for some time before they finally gelled in recent weeks. Final terms of the deal have yet to be agreed, one of the people cautioned.