Sky Extends High Definition Leadership with HD Channel Milestone
Released
on: March 19, 2010, 3:49 am
Author:
Sky
Industry:
Entertainment
Sky will reach a new High Definition (HD) milestone this
summer by exceeding the 40 HD channel mark. The launch of ITV1 HD,
Hallmark Channel HD and Sky Sports HD 4 will extend Sky's HD
leadership to 40 HD channels, five times more than any other HD
service. Sky will also be launching Europe's first HD news channel,
Sky News HD, in the coming months, which will further increase the
channel count.
The addition of ITV1 HD from 2nd April means Sky+HD homes across in England and
Wales will be able to watch World Cup matches live in HD, as well as other major ITV
shows such as Law and Order: UK, The Prisoner, Foyles War, Lewis, Survival with Ray
Mears, and Britain's Got Talent.
Hallmark Channel HD will showcase a range of its most popular titles in HD for the
first time, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal
Intent and Without A Trace. The channel will join the Sky platform on the 28th June.
Launching on 29th April, Sky Sports HD 4 will enable Sky Sports to build on its
9,200 hours a year of live sport in HD. This year will be the busiest ever for HD
content on Sky Sports, with the schedule including The Ryder Cup, The Ashes,
Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Heineken Cup and Guinness
Premiership rugby plus US Open tennis.
Hilary Perchard, Sky's Director of Product Management, commented: "It's great
news for customers that we are making our HD channel pack even better value
with more high quality channels. We're seeing record demand for HD, both in terms
of the number of customers signing up for Sky+HD and the amount of HD programmes
they are watching. While other TV platforms are only now recognising the growing
demand for HD, we're excited to extend our leadership even further by offering more
choice to our customers. We look forward to reaching our next milestone, of 50 HD
channels, by Christmas."
Peter Fincham, ITV Director of Television, Channels and Online, said: "The
availability of high definition content is something viewers have come to expect as
standard and, as we approach the 2010 World Cup, I'm delighted that we are able to
launch our new channel, ITV1 HD, on Sky."
Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, added: "Sky Sports HD 4 gives our
viewers even more choice in high definition sports coverage. Since May 2006 we've
covered 15 sports in HD and this channel will allow us to accommodate the quality
programming our subscribers expect."
The Sky+HD box not only provides access
to Europe's most comprehensive HD service and Sky's new HD electronic
programme guide (EPG), but later this year it will also offer customers access to
full broadband-enabled video-on-demand service and Sky 3D, Europe's first 3D TV
channel. Sky intends to launch Sky 3D to pubs and clubs in April before reaching
residential homes later this year once 3D TVs begin to reach homes.
-End-
About Sky
Sky operates the most comprehensive multichannel, multi-platform television service
in the UK and Ireland. Over 9.7 million homes enjoy an unprecedented choice of
movies, news, entertainment and sports channels. Sky continues to break new ground
with its own portfolio of channels: Sky1 combines its commitment to UK production
with the best of the US; Sky Arts continues to embrace new audiences as the UK's
only dedicated arts channel brand; Sky Sports is still raising the bar in sports
broadcasting; and Sky News remains a pioneer in multiplatform television news.
Almost 6.5 million Sky homes now enjoy the control and flexibility of Sky+ and 2.1
million homes have already joined Sky+HD, which provides access to 37 dedicated HD
channels and future innovative services like broadband-enabled video-on-demand and
3D TV.
Sky has also been the UK's fastest growing broadband and fixed-telephony provider
for the last two years.
Sky+HD PR contact:
Victoria Etaghene
Sky Consumer PR Executive
10 Stephen Mews
London
W1T 1AG
020 7805 6424
2012
