Sky reconsider leaving Freeview Terrestrial

[pinkhelmets]

It is understood that Sky executives are discussing leaving Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News on Freeview in favour of launching a pay TV service on digital terrestrial.

Sky is now reconsidering the removal of its channels from Freeview in a strategy to offset a potential loss in advertising revenue due to the removal of some of its channels from Virgin Media's cable television service. Different views of the potential cost to Sky, in terms of lost ad revenue for having its channels withdrawn from Virgin's cable TV service, range from £30m to £60m for 2007.

Reduced audience share was evident yesterday when official ratings figures were released, showing a large drop in viewers to some of the most popular shows on Sky.

It is also believed that mounting pressure from employees of the Sky News channel has helped force a re-think by executives. Many employees were unhappy that the award-winning 'Best News Channel' would soon become unavailable to the majority of the UK, most likely an exclusive pay-tv channel. This was highly regarded as having a negative effect on the very popular news channel and its future awards. Employees are proud of the acheivements of the channel and some were devasted at the thought they will lose viewers to rivals.

Sky has also indicated that a revamp of Sky One is under consideration with premiere film and sport programming to be possibly added to the schedule.

 

[hamba]

That's good news! There are some good things on Sky3 and the chance of seeing shows previously aired on Sky1. Also healthy to have an alternate news channel on freeview.

 

[zerofool2005]

Freeview channels can be bad as they are but rmeoving the sky ones will just **** it right up. You would think that when the digital switchover comes companies would be queing to get on freeview because they would attract more viewers

 

[Munkey]

I work in the media and can't understand why Sky called NTL's bluff. Media companies such as SKY make a large amount of their revenue from advertising. To lose 9m viewers overnight must have hurt, not to mention all the advertising that was pre booked that will have to be refunded.

So far as Sky News winning awards lol I'd rather do without it thanks all the same Mr Murdoch. Its basicly Sun TV.

I'm glad we wont be losing them on freeview as their reception is better than Sky's. Alot of people just have Freeview so would miss Sky 3 for sure

 

[Auldtam]

Im delighted with this news...I was considering bining my freeview box as those are the channels I watch most...

 

[tlogic]

Good news that sky are suffuring,

fECK SKY, FECK SKY news Feck sky sports news and feck sky all together.

fecking ******s murdock and his cronies.

sky has to be one of my least like companies.

 

[AT&T]

It'll mostly be on broadband in the next few years. TV will be coming down phone lines, not through cable or satellites. That means we'll simply download what we want and everyone will be happy...or so I'm told. ;-)

 

[siross]

god i hope they dont take sky sports news off freeview, its the only way i can watch it now they've taken it off cable and i am addicted to it!