Sky HD

May 2008

Dexter, one of the programmes launching on FX HD

Sky HD keeps on getting better with the launch of FX HD and Rush HD in April.

Following our exciting announcement that Sky HD is to add new channels to Europe’s most comprehensive HD service this Spring, FX HD and Rush HD have joined the line-up offering a broad range of new programmes and a number of UK firsts.

The launch of FX HD on the 28th April will bring new series of critically acclaimed dramas such as Dexter, NCIS, JAG and Brotherhood in HD to the UK for the first time.

FX HD will be a bespoke channel, specially created for Sky’s HD service. It will broadcast between 7pm and 2am daily, 7 days a week, with at least 90% of the schedule in true HD.

To celebrate the launch of FX HD, HD and SD programmes will also be shown on Anytime TV.

The launch of Rush HD on the 7th April delivers one-of-a-kind expeditions and adrenaline-packed competitions that feature some of the finest adventure sports athletes. And from the real to the virtual, enjoy the full gaming experience from original series to tournament play from around the world, all in high definition.

The addition of FX HD and Rush HD to our existing channel line-up brings the number of available HD channels on Sky to 18, by far the widest choice in Europe. Sky HD customers can now enjoy over 7,000 hours of stunning HD programmes each month – that’s nearly twice as much as the output of the five UK terrestrial channels.

You can find FX HD on channel 205 and Rush HD on channel 452. To find out what's on Sky HD go to www.sky.com/hd

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March 2008

Sky HD keeps on getting better with the launch of its third dedicated high definition Sky Movies channel on Thursday 20 March.

Following our exciting announcement that Sky HD is to add three new channels to the UK’s most comprehensive HD service this Spring, Sky Movies Premiere HD has joined the line-up offering a broad range of new programmes and a number of UK firsts.

The launch of Sky Movies Premiere HD will ensure the biggest and best from Hollywood and beyond are available in HD.

To celebrate this, Sky Movies Premiere HD will be showing a Leonardo Di Caprio double bill on Good Friday. Sky will be the first in the UK to show all the beauty of Titanic in high definition, plus watch all the angst and drama of Blood Diamond.

In screening 90 of the top 100 Hollywood box office hits each year, Sky HD customers will now be able to enjoy over 280 different movies a month in high definition. Other upcoming premieres include Mr Bean's Holiday, Flags Of Our Fathers, Fracture, Babel, and Ghost Rider, all in stunning high definition.

With the addition of Sky Movies Premiere HD there will now be 16 dedicated HD channels available on the Sky platform, by far the widest choice in Europe.

You can find Sky Movies Premiere HD on channel 313. To find out what's on Sky HD go to www.sky.com/hd

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March 2008

Sky HD keeps on getting better with the launch of its third dedicated high definition Sky Sports channel on Monday 17 March.

Following our exciting announcement that Sky HD is to add three new channels to the UK’s most comprehensive HD service this Spring, Sky Sports HD 3 has joined the line-up offering a broad range of new programmes and a number of UK firsts.

The launch of Sky Sports HD 3 will mean Sky HD customers will be able to enjoy even more sports in high definition than ever before. Sky will be the first and only broadcaster globally to offer live high definition coverage of European Tour golf, plus show World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in HD for the first time.

Over the next couple of months Sky HD customers can also enjoy the climax to the football season with live Barclays Premier League, The FA Cup and selected UEFA Champions League games. Plus, catch the rugby finals with live Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership games, and more.

With the addition of Sky Sports HD 3 there will now be 15 dedicated HD channels available on the Sky platform, by far the widest choice in Europe.

You can find Sky Sports HD 3 on channel 450. To find out what's on Sky HD go to www.sky.com/hd

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March 2008

Sky HD to get even bigger and better

Good news from the Sky HD team. From later on this Spring, Sky HD customers will be able to enjoy even more great content in glorious high definition as we add three brand new channels to the UK's most comprehensive HD service.

Over the next couple of months, Sky Sports HD 3, Sky Movies Premiere HD and FX HD will be added to the line-up offering a broad range of new programming and a number of UK firsts. Bringing the number of dedicated HD channels on the platform to 17, these channels will offer brand new HD content:

• The launch of Sky Sports HD 3 will mean Sky will be the first and only broadcaster globally to offer live high definition coverage of European Tour golf. Sky will also show World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in HD for the first time.
• Sky Movies Premiere HD will ensure the biggest and best from Hollywood and beyond are available in HD. Upcoming premieres to be offered in HD will include Blood Diamond, Mr Bean's Holiday, Flags Of Our Fathers, Fracture, Babel, and Ghost Rider. In screening 90 of the top 100 Hollywood box office hits each year, Sky Movies Premiere HD will build upon the 220 movies already broadcast in HD each month.
• And FX HD will bring new series of critically acclaimed dramas to the UK for the first time.

When these new channels are added to our existing HD line-up, Sky HD customers will be able to enjoy over 6,500 hours of stunning HD programming each month. To put that into context, that's almost twice as much HD content each month as the combined standard definition output of the five main terrestrial channels!

The new channel additions will offer yet more choice and an even richer HD experience. For more information, including details of the current HD channel line-up, please visit www.sky.com/hd

Please keep an eye on listings for confirmation on channel launch dates. And we'll be sure to be in touch again when we've more HD developments to share with you.

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July 2007

Sky HD offers around 5,000 hours of HD programming a month, more than the total hours of standard definition programmes on the UK's five terrestrial channels combined. But this doesn't mean that we're resting on our laurels. We listen to your feedback and we know you want us to give you even more top quality high definition programmes. So here's an update on some of the new HD content you can look forward to over the next few months, as well as answers to some of your other questions about Sky HD.

What plans are there for more HD content?

Sky Movies HD

We have recently signed a new HD content deal with Warner Brothers, the studio behind blockbuster movies such as Harry Potter, which means we now have agreements with all the major Hollywood studios to bring you films in high definition for Sky Movies HD 1 and HD 2. Sky Movies HD now shows over 220 different movies every month in high definition. That's 70 more than 6 months ago, which is great news for movie lovers. As a Sky HD customer you also get Sky Anytime on TV, which shows exclusive HD movie premieres, at no extra cost for Sky Movies subscribers. August HD highlights include the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Omen and RV.

Sky One HD & Sky Arts HD

Around two-thirds of all prime-time Sky One shows will be in HD by Christmas 2007, that's nearly double the amount of HD content than a year ago. Great new series this season include Weeds, Las Vegas, The 4400, and of course, the exclusive new season of Prison Break. Also in case you missed them the first time around, we'll give you another chance to catch the most recent seasons of Lost and 24. Plus, you can also look forward to premiere events like the Alan Ball Memorial Cup and Premier League All Stars in glorious HD.

We can also confirm that going forward 100% of all programmes commissioned for Sky Arts will now be in HD. This season you can enjoy all new Sky Arts HD programmes, like the Met Opera Season and Art of the Heist.

Sky Sports HD

Sky HD now brings you twice the amount of sport than it did a year ago for Sky Sports subscribers and there's more to come. The football season kicks off next month and we have more HD games than ever before with 92 live Barclays Premier League matches, another 70 Coca Cola Football League games plus the play-offs. That's not to mention the Carling Cup and FA Cup action as well as selected UEFA Champions' League games that we have in HD.

For golf fans amongst you we have stateside high definition content from the US PGA Championship. We have two Rugby League matches a week in HD from the Engage Super League, as well as the playoffs and grand final and for Rugby Union fans over 32 matches a season of the Guinness Premiership as well as 7 Heineken Cup matches from each round including the semis and final. You can enjoy all the England cricket home Tests in HD as well as four domestic competitions - County Championship, Pro40 League, Friends Provident Trophy and Twenty20 Cup.

We also have a growing selection of other sports in HD such as this year's Poker Million and the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead.

Why has Sky not brought us this content sooner?

From day one we said we'd bring you the largest HD service in Europe, and we've done that, but like you we also want more, and as you will have read above we are working hard to deliver this. The challenge is that it takes more than the flick of a switch to bring you HD. To deliver quality HD programming requires programme makers to film the production with HD technology, and with this comes a need for significant investments to upgrade to HD cameras and HD training of production staff. Many are in the process of doing this, going towards building up a new pipeline of HD content which can take some time. Please be rest assured that Sky is 100% committed to investing in new HD content and acquisitions.

Is Sky going to drop the Sky HD subscription charge?

Since the recent announcement about the removal of the Sky+ subscription charge we've seen the rumours floating around about us waiving the £10 monthly fee for Sky HD. We have no plans to drop this charge. This £10 per month payment gives you access to the UK's largest HD offering and we are committed to increasing our investment to bring you the best and widest selection of HD content.

Why did my HD box crash following the Sky Anytime update?

Thank you for making us aware of this issue, through your posts. Though it is a small number of you who are experiencing this issue, we are not taking it any less seriously. Sky actively investigates issues like this and has an ongoing programme in place to improve the stability and reliability of our boxes. We apologise for any problems and assure you that we are currently looking into the root cause of the reported problem with a view to preventing any future recurrence.

Why is DD5.1 soundtrack not available on all Sky HD broadcasts?

Where we can, we will always offer you Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. However there are times when we are restricted as the programme has not been recorded in DD5.1. We have a range of upcoming HD programmes which come with DD5.1 sound, including domestic and selected international Cricket matches, selected Super League games and the FA Community Shield game between Chelsea and Manchester United on the 5th August. You can also watch a variety of HD movies with DD5.1 like Final Destination 3, The Break Up and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

I've noted an improvement in HD picture quality, have there been any changes made?

Our technical team are passionate about bringing you the best picture quality possible. Over the last few months we have made some changes to the way we broadcast our HD channels that will have further enhanced your HD picture quality.

Why isn't the Sky HD Test Card available on Sky Anytime on TV all the time?

We've been bowled over by the popularity of the Sky HD Test Card. Thanks for all your feedback. Due to your requests we're bringing it back, it will be available on Sky Anytime on TV from Saturday. It is also on air on Sky Arts HD (Sky Channel 268) at 2am, available for you to record and store the programme, and watch the HD Test Card when it suits you on your Sky+ Planner.

If you would like more information, news and updates on everything Sky HD please visit http://sky.com/hd

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May 2007

Brits over the age of 25 will remember the iconic image of the BBC's 'test card girl' in her surreal pose playing noughts and crosses with the grimacing clown, which was a regular fixture on TV screens throughout the nation in the sixties and seventies.

Back when you could count the number of TV channels available in the UK on one hand, the test card offered viewers and engineers an easy way to set up their TV sets. However, most people associate the static image of the test card girl with patiently awaiting the next episode of Bagpuss or other childhood TV favourites.

In the 40th anniversary year of the first colour TV test card - 'Test Card F' - Sky is launching its very own high definition test card for the 21st-century to help viewers who have upgraded to the world of high definition telly.

Replacing the static image of the original test card girl, the Sky HD Test Card will feature Myleene Klass talking viewers through an easy to understand but humorous guide to setting up their HD Ready TVs to get the best possible picture and sound.

Myleene Klass said of her role:

"I'm really excited to be the face of the Sky HD Test Card and to be taking part in a little piece of TV history. For me, the test card evokes nostalgic childhood memories of staring at the TV waiting for Playschool.

Since the launch of High Definition in the UK no one has developed a test card that viewers can use to set up their high definition picture correctly. Now I have Sky HD at home I am a bit of an expert, and believe me it's very easy when you know how."

Viewers in Sky HD homes can tune in to see Myleene from 22 May on Sky channel 268 or set their Sky+ to record the 10 minute tutorial.

Chris Johns, Sky's Chief Engineer responsible for overseeing the development and technical specification of the Sky HD Test Card said:

"Forty years on from Test Card F, the launch of high definition TV in the UK has created a demand for a test card that enables viewers to get the most out of their HD Ready screens. We wanted to make the most of what HD has to offer and create a test card that is both easy to use and entertaining.

Myleene looked great in the jungle and looks even better in HD and with her intelligent presenting style she was the perfect choice to become the face of the test card for the 21st century.

We hope that our Sky HD test card will become as iconic as the original and create a place for Myleene Klass in the television hall of fame."

Malcolm Baird, scientist and son of TV inventor John Logie-Baird unveiled Sky HD in the UK. On the first anniversary of Sky HD launching, Malcolm said of the Sky HD Test Card launch:

"The first TV test card was broadcast in the 1930's using my father's 30 line black and white TV system. Since then, broadcasters have developed hundreds of different test cards, right up until the 1980's. I think it is wonderful that Sky has created a test card for high definition TV with such magnificent results."

Over the years, the nostalgic love of Test Card F and has made it a true British icon. There are websites and forums dedicated to the history of the test card. Keith Hamer, founder member of the BBC Test Card Club, a group of avid test card fanciers, said:

"The BBC Test Card 'C', with sequences of outstanding accompanying music, was first transmitted in 1948. Since then, various new Test Cards have been introduced to reflect the huge advances in TV technology culminating in the famous Colour Test Card 'F' featuring a little girl and her toy. But, sadly, regular Trade Test Transmissions were discontinued in May, 1983. So, it is with great excitement that almost a quarter of a century later, Sky are to launch a new TV Test Card for the new high-definition, high-quality digital age."

How the Sky HD Test Card will work

The Sky HD Test Card will offer viewers tuning in to Channel 268 an easy to understand 10 minute tutorial. Sky HD viewers will be able to record the Test Card using the Sky+ functionality help them ensure their HD Ready TVs are set up correctly to get the best possible high definition picture.

In the tutorial Myleene explains how to use the test card to:

• Achieve the correct aspect ratio and positioning of picture
• Set the brightness or 'Black Level' at the right level
• Adjust the colour levels and grey scale
• Refine the sharpness level to get the most out of the clarity that HD offers
• And for customers with a compatible home entertainment system, set up Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound correctly

Later this year the Sky HD Test Card will be broadcast on demand to Sky HD and Sky+ boxes via Sky Anytime on TV.

The History of the Test Card

• The most famous BBC Test Card featuring the girl and her clown is officially known as 'Test Card F' - the sixth in a long series of test cards named by letters of the alphabet.
• Test Card F was the first Test Card transmitted on a regular basis for colour TV and made its first appearance on BBC2 in the summer of 1967.
• The original Test Card girl was called Carole Hersee, and was in fact the daughter of BBC engineer George Hersee, creator of the original colour test card.
• The X on the noughts and crosses board was included to show the centre point of the image so that viewers could make sure that the aspect ratio of their picture was correct.
• Test Card F has been shown for an estimated 70,000 hours on the BBC.
• It has been reported that Carole Hersee holds the record for appearing on TV for more hours than anyone else.
• Regular transmissions of Test Card F were discontinued in May 1983. Its days were further numbered in the 1990s when BBC 1 and BBC 2 started broadcasting 24 hours a day.

The Sky HD Test Card tutorial was designed and produced by the Sky Creative Agency.

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22 May 2007

All Hollywood studios, including Warner Bros., now offering films in high definition on Sky Movies HD 90% of commissions and two thirds of prime time shows on Sky One will be made in HD

To mark Sky HD's first birthday, film fans can expect even more action, adventure, suspense and drama to burst from their screens as Sky today announces a wider choice of movies will be available in glorious high definition. Sky has now secured HD films for Sky Movies HD1 and HD2 from all the major Hollywood studios. Movies from the Warner Bros. Entertainment library including Syriana, V For Vendetta and Firewall, distributed by Warner Bros. International Television will now be available to Sky HD customers.

Today's announcement reinforces Sky's commitment to offer the UK's most comprehensive HD service across movies, sport, documentaries, drama and entertainment. Demand for Sky HD has surged rapidly, with almost a quarter of a million people signing up in just ten months.

In response to the demand for HD, Sky has been working hard to get as many HD programmes as possible and has also confirmed that next year 90% of original commission's for Sky One will be made in HD. In addition to our original commissions, by Christmas 2008 around two thirds of all prime-time shows on Sky One will be available in HD, nearly double the HD shows that were available last Christmas. Sky Arts HD will continue to build on its impressive HD line-up with all programmes commissioned for the channel being made in HD this year.

Brian Sullivan, Managing Director, Customer Group, BSkyB commented "Today's announcement means Sky is the place for movie fans to enjoy blockbuster films through a fantastic at-home TV experience. It also shows our commitment to making the best of Sky available in high definition, across the schedule. People want to enjoy the ultimate viewing experience when they're watching movies, sports, entertainment or documentaries, and that's why over a quarter of a million people have already signed up to Sky HD already."

Jeffrey Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. International Television said "We are thrilled to support Sky in their efforts to be at the forefront of the HD experience for consumers by offering our Warner Bros. films in this format for the Sky HD service."

Over the next couple of months Sky HD viewers will be able to choose from a huge range of HD-entertainment across Sky's HD channels, covering everything from United 93 and X-Men: The Last Stand on Sky Movies HD; to 24 and Lost on Sky One HD; The UEFA Champions League Final, Majors golf, England's summer Test matches against the West Indies and India, and the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead on Sky Sports HD; and live coverage of The Guardian Hay Festival on Sky Arts HD. HD homes will also be able to tune into some great programmes from BBC HD in 2007 including Glastonbury, Wimbledon 2007 and the Concert For Diana.

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27 March 2007

Sky has launched Anytime on TV, a bonus service that showcases a selection of the week's programmes on-demand. From today, Anytime on TV is available to all Sky HD customers, and in the coming weeks, will be made available to customers with the latest generation of Sky+ set-top-boxes (STB), representing more than one million customers in total.

As part of Sky's on-going commitment to delivering more customer choice and control, this latest upgrade uses additional storage capacity on the STB to automatically store selected programmes for viewing on-demand. Thanks to a partitioned hard drive on the boxes, the customer's personal recording capacity remains unaffected. The new selection of programmes are added to the service overnight with around 30 hours of content available at any one time. Viewers have seven days to watch programmes or store them on their Sky+ planner. As newer programmes are delivered to the STB older ones will be automatically deleted.

To access Sky Anytime on TV customers simply go to their TV guide and select the red button to access the dedicated Anytime on TV listings.

Anytime on TV joins Sky's other bonus on-demand services - Anytime on PC and Anytime on Mobile - which both launched over a year ago. With Anytime on PC, Europe's leading video broadband download service, customers can access around 1,000 hours of sports, movies, entertainment, lifestyle and cultural programmes. Anytime on Mobile offers users video clips, picture downloads and a gateway to Sky Mobile TV, a subscription based service with 28 live and made-for-mobile channels. Together, the three services offer unmatched on-demand access across TV, PC and mobile, allowing customers to select both when and where they choose to enjoy some of their favourite Sky programmes and clips.

Stephen Van Rooyen, Sky's Director of Product Management said: "Sky+ has already given millions of people freedom from their TV schedule, helping viewers to enjoy more of the TV they want to watch. Anytime on TV helps our customers get even more out of Sky+ by presenting them with highlights of the weeks' programmes to watch on demand - shows that they might not otherwise have found and which they can then transfer to their Sky+ box to series link and watch every week."

Anytime on TV showcases the best from Sky One, Sky Movies, Sky Sports, Sky Arts, National Geographic, The History Channel, Biography, Crime & Investigation Network, Adventure One, Disney and Turner, and where relevant their respective HD channels. Sky will make further content announcements in the coming weeks.

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Sky is to help customers reduce their household energy bills with the introduction of an innovative new feature that will automatically switch inactive Sky HD and Sky+ boxes into Standby mode overnight. This UK-pioneered technology, the first of its kind in the UK, is the latest step in Sky's on-going commitment to reduce its own impact on the environment and in helping millions of customers to take small steps to reduce theirs.

The 'Auto Standby' feature will be introduced to more than two million customers' boxes in phases over the next few months. It will be sent automatically to all Sky HD boxes from tomorrow and then to all Sky+ boxes, in stages, from mid April and throughout the Summer. This new enhancement forms part of Sky's plans for ensuring its products are as energy efficient as possible. Since the launch of Sky digital, the energy consumption of Sky's new standard boxes has been reduced by 50% and Sky plans to rollout 'Auto Standby' to the majority of its customers by mid next year.

When 'Auto Standby' is rolled out to all Sky HD and Sky+ boxes and the annual savings are added together, 'Auto Standby' could save enough energy to light all the homes in Wolverhampton or power all the washing machines in Liverpool for a year. It could also slash £7.5 million from customers' electricity bills and reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 32,000 tonnes a year.

How Auto Standby will work:
The new feature monitors whether people are using their Sky+ or Sky HD box overnight between 11.00pm and 4.00am. If the box has not been used for a period of two hours after 11.00pm, an 'Auto Standby' warning will pop up on screen for three minutes. If there is no further use the box will go into Standby mode automatically.

A Bigger Picture:
This latest innovation is a key milestone in Sky's drive to reduce the environmental impacts of its operations and Sky's 'Bigger Picture' initiative has seen the company take a number of steps in becoming more sustainable. Sky was the first media company in the world to become both carbon neutral and participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project. It is also an active member of the international non-profit organisation The Climate Group.

Additionally, Sky is the only media company to have signed up to the voluntary European Commission code of conduct on Energy Efficiency in Digital TV Service Systems that looks at ways to reduce the energy use of its products. Experts estimate that the energy used in homes to provide entertainment is approximately 1.5% of total home energy consumption.

Ben Stimson, Director of Corporate Responsibility at Sky said: "Energy use is a growing priority for companies and consumers alike so we want to help our customers to cut their bills and reduce their environmental impact. We advise all our customers to switch their Sky box to standby when not in use. But for those occasions when people forget, Auto Standby will be there to help out. This is a UK first whose effects will add up to a significant reduction in energy consumption for our customers."

Robin Oakley, Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace, added: "Sky is among the few companies forging ahead to cut out energy wastage in their products, it's time this became the priority for companies producing all our appliances. Even apparently small things like appliances that switch themselves off when we forget can make massive CO2 and energy savings when multiplied across the population."

Frances Galvanoni from the Energy Saving Trust said: "What's great about this is that the consumer doesn't have to worry about remembering to turn it off standby as Sky has built the functionality into the product. This is a welcome step and shows how seriously Sky takes it responsibility to the Environment. Energy efficient appliances use less power and are cheaper to run. And because they need less energy, they're responsible for fewer greenhouse gas emissions - this is good news for the environment and good news for Sky's customers."
Unlike most electrical equipment, Sky set top boxes (including Sky+ and Sky HD boxes) are 'active' devices and as such need to be switched on or in the standby mode at all times in order to receive regular software updates and allow Sky+ recordings to take place.

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28 February 2007

Millions of TV viewers with Sky+ and Sky HD boxes can now set recordings of their favourite shows online, while at work, on holiday, or perhaps while tapping away on their laptop in a wireless café. The Remote Record service means people can set their Sky+ or Sky HD boxes to record from Sky.com, wherever they are in the world.

The online service is free to use and accessed via www.sky.com/remoterecord. Visitors to the site can view Sky's seven-day TV guide and select programmes to record with a few simple clicks. The guide enables people to search and browse listings by time, day or programme name.

Remote Record online joins the mobile Remote Record service Sky launched last year. The mobile service, which has received tens of thousands of recording requests to date, works via mobile internet and SMS. Sky is the only company in the world to offer this service on three platforms.

Stephen Van Rooyen, Sky's Director of Product Management, said: "Remote Record is perfect for those situations when you hear about a TV show and want to record it there and then, if you're stuck late at work or if you've simply forgotten to record that programme you want to watch. It's about making TV fit around people's increasingly busy lives".

Millions of people in Sky+ and Sky HD homes will benefit from the new service.

Using Remote Record Online

An active Sky+ subscription is required to register and use Remote Record online. Registration is free and required to link the customer's details to their Sky+ or Sky HD box where they want recording requests sent. Once a request has been made, it cannot be deleted via sky.com, only directly through the Sky+ or Sky HD box. Recording requests can be made from outside the UK and must be made 30 minutes before the start of the programme. Internet service provider charges apply.

Registering for Remote Record

Before you can set your Sky+ or Sky HD box to record using your mobile or via Sky.com, you first need to register for Remote Record. Registration is a two-step process.

1. Get a My Sky account (if you don't already have one)
   • First create a My Sky account on Sky.com.
2. Complete your Registration on Sky Active
   To get to the Remote Record registration screens on Sky Active:
   • Press the interactive button on your Sky+ remote control
   • Select Sky Active, then select Customer Support and pick Your Sky Features
   • Select Remote Record, then select Register and pick Sky.com user

About Sky+

Sky+ is the UK's most popular fully integrated personal video recorder and digital TV service. As of 31 December 2006, there were 2.13 million Sky+ boxes, in 1.97 million households.

About Sky HD

Sky HD launched on 22 May 2006, offering viewers a cinema-like experience with sharper, clearer, more vibrant pictures and, with compatible home cinema systems, amazing Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

Sky HD broadcasts thousands of hours of HD content per week across 12 dedicated channels.

In order to enjoy Sky HD, consumers need to have a compatible HD-ready TV, a Sky HD box and the relevant Sky subscriptions.

As of 31 December 2006, there were 184,000 Sky HD homes. Sky HD is Sky's fastest-selling additional TV product ever.

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27 February 2007

Last week's Shiny Media 2007 awards saw Sky HD taking home the award for "Best HDTV Contribution," beating other nominees including Virgin Media, BBC, Sony, Discovery Channel, Toshiba and LG.

This recent accolade is just one of a number of awards and top reviews given to Sky HD over the last six months. Recent highlights:

• Sunday Times - 5-star review and named "Best Buy PVR"
• Independent - "Best Buy"
• Daily Express - "Best for High Definition TV"
• Which? - Awarded 'Best Buy' PVR
• T3 - "Gold" award, 5-star review and "Best Hi-Fi Device"
• Stuff - 5 out of 5 stars
• What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision - "Product of the Year (2006)" and "Best HD PVR"
• What Video & HDTV - "Best HD set-top box"
• What Home Cinema - "Best Hi-Def Source 2007"
• DVD Review - 5-star review
• Pocket Lint - "Best Home Cinema Gadget"

A delighted Hilary Perchard, Head of Product Management for Sky HD comments: "Sky HD is still in its early days and we've already won a host of awards; more than any other Sky product in its first year. It's great to see customers are benefiting from an award-winning product delivering a great viewing experience".

About Sky HD

Sky HD broadcasts thousands of hours of HD content per week across 12 dedicated channels.

As of 31 December 2006, there were 184,000 Sky HD homes. Sky HD is Sky's fastest-selling additional TV product ever.

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31 January 2007

Sky today announced the highest ever sales figures for its growing product range after strong demand from customers in the pre-Christmas period. In the three months to the end of 2006, total sales of Sky products and services* exceeded one million for the first time as more customers took up Sky's TV, broadband and telephone services.

The total number of Sky TV customers rose by 183,000 to 8.441 million. Demand from new customers joining Sky was at its highest quarterly level for six years. In addition, more than one in four Sky customers now takes an additional product.

Television

• Just seven months after launch, Sky HD is confirmed as Sky's fastest-selling additional TV product ever. The total number of Sky HD customers almost doubled in the quarter to reach 184,000, up from 96,000 at the end of September. As sales of flat-screen, HD-ready TV sets continue to grow, Sky expects more customers to take advantage of the ability to enjoy the sharper, more vibrant pictures of Sky HD.
• Sky+, the UK's most popular digital video recorder, ended 2006 with 1.97 million customers, up from 1.69 million at the end of September. Since the start of January 2007, the number of Sky+ customers has broken through two million for the first time.
• Sky plans to introduce a new enhancement, Anytime TV, by the end of March. This service enables customers to watch a selection of the week's best programmes on-demand, and will be available to more than one million customers from launch, making use of additional capacity in more recent Sky+ and Sky HD boxes.
• More than one in seven Sky customers now chooses to have at least one extra Sky box somewhere else in the home. Multiroom customers reached a new high of 1.23 million, up from 1.09 million at the end of September.

Broadband and Talk

• Sky Broadband continues to grow strongly as more customers take advantage of fast download speeds and great value. Active customers had reached 259,000 by 28 January 2007, up from 74,000 at the end of October and 44,000 at the end of September. Sky today set a new target of more than 700,000 broadband customers by the end of June 2007.
• On average, around 90% of customers are being connected within 15 working days of placing their order. Research shows that customers are getting more for less, saving on average £10 a month while enjoying download speeds twice as fast as their previous supplier. Around 70% of customers within Sky's network areas have chosen one of the paid-for products offering faster download speeds, while around 30% have chosen the subscription-free option.
• To allow even more customers to enjoy these benefits, Sky is accelerating its plan to extend its network coverage. The Sky Broadband network already reaches more than 50% of UK households, more than the number covered by the NTL:Telewest cable network. Sky now expects to achieve 70% coverage by the end of June - six months earlier than previously planned.
• Sky Talk, Sky's telephone service, reached 223,000 customers at the end of December, up from 195,000 at the end of September.
• Further growth in Sky Broadband and Sky Talk is expected following the launch of the See, Speak, Surf advertising campaign, which highlights the benefits and savings available from Sky's everyday low pricing. After line rental costs are taken into account, the See, Speak, Surf combination of products offers savings of £136 in the first year and £288 in the second year when compared with the nearest comparable set of services from NTL-Virgin Media.

Sky has also released figures demonstrating the way in which new entertainment and communications products are driving increased demand and broadening the appeal of Sky. In the three months to 31 December, 31% of new Sky+ customers were entirely new to Sky, 15% of new Sky HD customers were entirely new to Sky and 18% of Sky Broadband customers were entirely new to Sky.

James Murdoch, Sky's Chief Executive, said:

"In the last six months we have achieved a number of important milestones. Sales of new Sky boxes were the highest for six years and Sky+ broke through the two million barrier. Sky HD almost doubled in size after a strong Christmas sales period, as more customers took the chance to enjoy the truly amazing picture quality of high-definition TV.

Sky Broadband is attracting new and existing customers with more than two-thirds opting for our faster, paid-for products. The roll-out of our broadband network is progressing ahead of schedule. As a result, we now reach more households than the entire UK cable network with our "See, Speak, Surf" combination of TV, telephony and broadband products.

With over one in four of our customers now taking an additional service from Sky, more people are choosing more of our products than ever before. In 2007, we will continue to drive towards our goal of being the leader in entertainment and communications in the UK and Ireland."

*Products included are Sky digital, Sky+, Sky HD, Sky Multiroom, Sky Broadband and Sky Talk.

Notes to Editors:

For a copy of Sky's full financial results for the six months ended 31 December 2006, visit www.sky.com/corporate.

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The History Channel HD - the future of history

The History Channel HD has launched a new interactive website, www.thehistorychannel.co.uk/hd, giving a flavour of the quality of programmes that the channel will bring through sound, images and video.

The site provides a taste of the remarkable high-definition programming on offer, bringing to the fore immaculate images, stunningly sharp sound and perfect picture quality.

The History Channel's HD service brings viewers compelling true stories from every corner of the globe, using the latest technology to bring history to life. All of the programmes on the channel are 'True HD'.

The website allows users to access programme listings and information, outlines the technology behind HD, and provides details about the equipment necessary to view the channel.

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30 November 2006

• BRITS GO GADGET GA-GA THIS CHRISTMAS Brits will spend £1.67bn on gadget gifts this Christmas
• HD TV IS THE NO.1 GADGET FOR CHRISTMAS
• RAMPANT RABBIT SENT BACK TO ITS WARREN Over a third of women would prefer to receive an HD TV for Christmas than a sex toy
• IT'S OFFICIAL In-laws give the worst Christmas presents
• WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND Almost half of us admit to recycling unwanted gifts at Christmas
• HD TV IN, IN-LAWS OUT We prefer to relax in front of the television on Christmas day over spending it with the in-laws
• THE BIG NOSE Nasal hair trimmers are the most unwanted gift at Christmas

People in the UK will have to buy extra large stockings this Christmas to accommodate this year's No.1 most wanted gadget/techie gift: a high-definition television.

New research from Sky reveals we're a nation of gadget-lovers, with Brits predicted to spend a staggering £1.67 billion on hi-tech gifts alone over the festive season.

But hi-tech must-haves aren't just toys for the boys; high-definition television tops the Christmas gift list for girls, who would rather watch Hollywood celebrities in HDTV than receive beauty products or even an infamous sex toy. Given the choice between a sex toy, such as a rampant rabbit, and HDTV, women prefer high-quality viewing pleasure to pleasure of other kinds.

Unsurprisingly, the gift most likely to get right up people's noses are nasal hair trimmers, topping the bill for both men and women with over 25% of the votes, but tie presses, hair crimpers and waffle-makers were also in the running for the top spot for naffest gift.

But what about the unwanted 'gadget gifts' we receive? 46% of people admit to 'recycling' unwanted gifts received at Christmas, of which 35% admit to making some extra cash by selling bad gifts on auction site eBay.

When asked who was the most likely to give the worst gift at Christmas, 18.2% of people cited in-laws, which explains why over 50% of people prefer relaxing in front of the television to playing board games with the family.

Sky launched the UK's first national high-definition TV service and so far has seen a staggering 90,000 people join the high-definition revolution - offering viewers a cinema-like experience with sharper, clearer, more vibrant pictures and, with compatible home cinema systems, amazing Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

The research is supported by independent retail analysts GFK who predict that around one million HD-ready TV screens will be sold in the run-up to Christmas this year, making 10% of all UK homes HD-ready.

Notes to editors:

Gadgets we most want to receive for Christmas:

• HD TV 32%
• Laptop 24%
• Sat nav 7%
• Digital DAB digital radio 5%
• Mobile phone 4%
• Other 28%

Survey carried out by: Tickbox.net
Date of survey: 17-22 November 2006
Sample size: 1591

Sky HD facts:

• The range and quantity of programmes we're broadcasting is already strong and it's growing all the time. During November, Sky's HD service will broadcast a total of 3,758 hours of programmes originating in HD. That means we're delivering an average of 117 hours a day of HD programming.
• As of 30 September, 96,000 homes have had Sky HD installed - this is the fastest ever customer take-up of an additional Sky product, already representing three times the sales levels achieved by Sky+ in its first year.
• Independent analysts GFK predict that around one million HD-ready TV screens will be sold in the run-up to Christmas this year, making 10% of all UK homes HD-ready.
• 2006 sales forecasts for HD-ready sets have increased to over 2.73 million from 1.4 million (source: GFK) with the cumulative total expected to be in excess of 3.4 million by the end of the year.
• As of 1 November any new or existing Sky customer who spends £169 or over on any TV in participating stores can save £150 on the cost of their Sky HD box when they subscribe to Sky HD, making it better value than ever to future-proof the living room.
• High-definition television (HD) is the biggest revolution in television picture quality in decades.
• Sky HD launched in the UK and Ireland on Monday 22 May 2006, offering viewers a cinema-like experience with sharper, clearer, more vibrant pictures and, with compatible home cinema systems, amazing Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
• Sky HD captures every detail, facial expression and movement, creating images that are much more life-like with four times the picture detail of standard definition.
• In order to enjoy Sky HD, consumers need to have a compatible HDTV, a Sky HD box and the relevant Sky subscriptions.
• Sky HD offers 12 high-definition channels: Sky Sports HD 1, Sky Sports HD 2, Sky Box Office 1 HD, Sky Box Office 2 HD, Sky Movies 9 HD, Sky Movies 10 HD, Sky One HD, Artsworld HD, National Geographic HD, Discovery HD, The History Channel HD and the non-subscription BBC HD trail channel.
• The Sky HD box costs £299, with a £10 per month subscription charge for viewing the Sky HD channels. This £10 charge is in addition to the customer's regular Sky digital subscription.

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SKY SPORTS today confirmed two exciting developments for coverage of Rugby League in Great Britain.

A contract has been signed for exclusive live coverage of the National League for the next two seasons. Starting on 5 April with the match between Widnes and Leigh, Sky Sports will now offer live Thursday night games throughout the season - up to and including the play-offs, and the National League Grand Final on Sunday 7 October.

Plans for high-definition [HD] coverage of the new Super League season have also been confirmed. All facilities have been updated in time for Sky's first match - Huddersfield v St. Helens on Sunday 4 February.

This season, for the first time, viewers can follow the battle for promotion to the engage Super League alongside live HD coverage of the game's top tier.

The new deal with the Rugby Football League gives Sky Sports:

• LEAGUE MATCHES - Up to 25 National Rugby League matches each season including a live game every Thursday evening from Thursday 5 April 2007
• PLAY-OFFS - Each of the five National League play-off matches exclusively live
• GRAND FINAL - Exclusive live coverage of The National League Grand Final in 2007 and 2008 with the first on Sunday 7 October 2007

This is the first time National League has enjoyed regular live coverage through the season and popular magazine programme Boots 'n' All will move to a new slot on Thursday nights as part of a regular three-hour rugby league broadcast. The live matches join Super League, international and student matches in Sky Sports' schedules.

Welcoming the deal, the Rugby Football League's Chief Operating Officer Nigel Wood said: "This new broadcast agreement is a tremendous development for the National Leagues. The Sky Sports coverage means that the undoubted excitement and vibrancy of the sport at this level can now be seen by a UK wide audience".

Neville Smith, Executive Producer of Rugby League on Sky Sports, said: "We're delighted we've been able to expand our British Rugby League coverage and look forward to showing the National League on Sky Sports. I have been spending some time with my colleagues on football and cricket, the people who pioneered HD coverage of live sport in the UK and Ireland last year. It has been a tight deadline to get everything ready - and a considerable investment made in new facilities - but Super League will benefit from our experience with other sport and I think fans will love the extra edge HD gives to their sport. In the same way our National League has a good and loyal following, and I think fans everywhere will enjoy our Thursday night coverage".

Rugby League was one of the first live sports on Sky Sports when the channel launched in 1991. Since then Sky has covered over 1,500 live matches, seen the development of the summer game and witnessed rising attendances and audiences. The latest new development for the sport is the introduction of live high-definition broadcasts, which allow viewers to experience the unique atmosphere of Super League matches like never before with four times the picture clarity of normal television.

Exclusive live coverage of engage Super League XII on Sky Sports begins with Huddersfield hosting last season's champions St. Helens at the Galpharm Stadium on Sunday 4 February.

Sunday 4 February
engage Super League - Huddersfield v St. Helens
Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1 at 7.05pm

Thursday 5 April
National League - Widnes v Leigh
Sky Sports 1 at 6pm

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14 November 2006

For the first time on television, witness each stage of elephant, dog and dolphin foetal growth in amazing detail.

In the Womb: Animals follows in the footsteps of the original In the Womb, using cutting-edge 4D technology to project a unique view of the mammalian foetuses in real-time, 3D images. As well as showing the foetuses practicing instinctive skills essential to survival, the technology may also unravel evolutionary mysteries and reveal surprising ancestral pasts.

Preparing for the Future

Just 63 days after conception, the foetus of the domestic dog will be armed with the tools necessary to survive, including an acute sense of smell and the ability to hear sounds far beyond the human range. At 40 days, the 4D technology shows rare imagery of the embryo opening its mouth and panting - a vital response for the puppy after birth.

In contrast to the dog's short gestation, the elephant embryo undergoes an epic 22-month pregnancy, with the newborn elephant eventually tipping the scales at 120 kilograms. At around week 18, it will start exercising its legs and trunk to strengthen muscles and increase dexterity. It will develop ears and footpads that will enable the elephant to pick up sounds like thunder or stampedes from a distance of nearly 16 kilometres.

Simulating an aquatic environment, an 8-week-old dolphin foetus can be seen swimming in the womb - its own private swimming pool. Over the course of a year, the dolphin foetus will develop the features needed to swim at 35 kilometres an hour and track prey the size of a ping-pong ball from 90 metres away.

Evolutionary Secrets Revealed?

The innovative 4D technology also unveils surprising foetal developments and offers a peek at the dolphin's evolutionary history. At 24 days, the dolphin embryo inexplicably develops tiny leg-like buds, which then disappear over the next two weeks. After 11 weeks, the embryo's fins display bone structures resembling human hands. Could these startling foetal developments be evidence of a land-dwelling past?

Conversely, the foetal development of the world's largest land animal - the elephant - hints at a sea-dwelling ancestry. The elephant embryo develops a trunk that facilitates underwater breathing, and at 4 months it develops kidney ducts that are most commonly found in freshwater fish and frogs. Elephants are thought to be the only land mammal giving birth to live offspring to have embryos which develop this feature. Could this snorkel-like trunk and kidney formation be evidence of an aquatic ancestry?

With its combination of advanced technology, in-depth timeline of each foetus's development and birth, and state-of-the-art computer generated models, In the Womb: Animals offers an extraordinary window into three species' journey from conception to birth.

In the Womb: Animals is produced for the National Geographic Channels International by Pioneer Productions. Simon Andreae is the Executive Producer for Pioneer Productions. For National Geographic Channels International, Executive Vice President of Content is Sydney Suissa.

14 January 2007 at 6pm (two-hour special). This is followed by 'In The Womb: Twins, Triplets and Quads' on 21 January 2007 at 6pm.

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19 October 2006

New seasons of the award-winning series Lost will be seen exclusively on Sky One and Sky One HD in the UK, following the announcement today of a new agreement between British Sky Broadcasting (Sky) and Buena Vista International Television (BVITV). The deal for exclusive UK TV rights, announced by Richard Woolfe, Director of Programming, Sky One, Two and Three, cements Sky One’s position as the home of the best of US drama. Sky One has secured deals for seasons three and four of the breakout hit. With this agreement, Sky will additionally make the show available on its broadband and mobile platforms.

Woolfe commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled to bring Lost to Sky One. The series has defined TV drama over the last two years and has been the envy of every network. Today’s audiences demand more quality and flexibility than ever before, so we are intending to use various digital media platforms to make Lost available to our customers when they want and how they want… ensuring that they never miss the mysterious goings-on of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. This outstanding series will bring even more entertainment to Sky customers and demonstrate our strengths in multi-platform content and innovation.”

Tom Toumazis, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, BVITV EMEA, added: "We’re delighted to be partnering with Sky to launch much-anticipated new seasons of the globally successful US series in the UK. We are confident that Sky will build upon the established success of Lost across TV and digital media platforms, bringing the series to viewers in flexible ways, ideally suited to its watercooler, must-see status."

The agreement was brokered by David Smyth, Head of Acquisitions, Sky One, Two and Three and BVITV’s Catherine Powell, Executive Director, Sales, UK & Ireland.

Season three of Lost launched on ABC on 4 October, ranking #1 in its timeslot and beating its nearest competitor by 83%.

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Worldwide premiere of The History Channel in high definition.

The worldwide debut of a high-definition service for The History Channel will start transmission on Thursday 26 October 2006. The channel will broadcast daily from 8am until 2am on Sky Guide channel number 545 and all programmes on the channel will be in high definition. The History Channel HD will be programmed by The History Channel UK and will offer a separate schedule to the standard definition channel.

The schedule will include a wide range of spectacular programmes in high definition, including UK premieres of Engineering an Empire, Warrior Empire: The Mughals, and The Sahara, as well as HD versions of The Plague, The Crusades: Crescent & The Cross, and Beyond the Da Vinci Code.

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8 September 2006

We hope that you've been enjoying the enhanced programmes on offer in the first few months since we launched Sky HD. Our development of Sky HD never stops and we've been listening to and acting on your feedback about the HD box, our HD programmes and our service. We thought you might like to have an update on some of the forthcoming developments.

Our programmes

This month we have extended the hours of our two Sky Movies HD channels. Sky Movies 9 and 10 HD now start broadcasting at 11am, so you can enjoy six hours more movies per day. We have also signed up more studios so we will be adding to the great movies we have already shown like Walk the Line, Spider Man 2 and Sin City. We are also very excited to have secured the rights to show all six Star Wars movies in HD. They will all be shown later in the year, after the current run of the Episodes I-III, on the Sky Movies HD channels. We hope you'll agree that this is something to look forward to!

This weekend on Sky One HD you'll be able to enjoy Robbie Williams live in concert - the first UK concert to be broadcast in HD. Coming up in October there are new Sky One commissions in HD including Cirque de Celebrité, Mission Implausible and Ross Kemp on Gangs. In addition shows like Deadwood, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, Rescue Me, Las Vegas, Final Days of Planet Earth are all showing in HD.

For sports fans, we've added an extra Sky Sports HD channel to make sure that we can show both events when the football and rugby matches are scheduled at the same time. With live Barclays Premiership football, Coca-Cola League and Coca-Cola Cup matches in HD, there are a lot of matches to enjoy in HD quality. In addition we are pleased to announce that Sky Sports' first UEFA Champions League match to be shown in HD will be Manchester United v Celtic on 13 September. And on the 22 September the Ryder Cup will be shown live in HD for the first time.

For a taste of arts and culture, tune in to Artsworld HD at 10pm on 20 September to catch the premiere of Ballet Rocks, an exciting new dance film produced specifically to showcase dance in HD, with costumes by leading UK fashion designer Giles Deacon, music by über-cool Brit band Bloc Party, and performances by classical ballet company English National Ballet. And every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday in October, catch an entire season of British film classics (including Sympathy for the Devil featuring the original Rolling Stones recording of their landmark track) as never seen before restored to HD format for the first time exclusively on Artsworld.

Highlights on other HD channels this autumn will include the start of Atlas on Discovery HD, taking you round the world in glorious HD.

Sky customers can take a look at the latest Sky magazine to see all the programmes in HD this month.

Our service

As you know, there were some initial delays to Sky HD installations because of problems experienced by our HD box supplier. We've been working hard to install customers as quickly as possible and we have managed to reduce the wait time for Sky HD to a few weeks.

However, we are aware that there have been reports that some people are not able to get their HD channels when their box is installed. Our customer services team are working hard on this and are getting everyone viewing as quickly as possible. Fixing the issues that have caused this is a priority for us.

Our box

Our technology teams have also been working on improvements and last week they downloaded a new version of the software to your box. To check whether you have the right version go the Services menu, select System Setup, then System Details. The model number should now read 607120.

Here are some of the improvements that the new software brings.

Programme Guide: You should notice that the programme guide works faster than previously.

Fast Forward & Rewind: We have made improvements to the way that FFWD and REW work and you will now find:

• that the box is more responsive to the FFWD and REW buttons
• that x30 is now faster. However this may mean that when you press play the programme being fast-forwarded starts 15 seconds later than expected.

Stability: We have made a significant improvement to the overall stability of the HD box so that you will see fewer crashes and freezes.

Interactive Services: We have made many improvements to the way interactive services are supported. However we are continuing to work on others which will be included with later versions of the software.

TVs: Some of you highlighted to us that there was an issue with some JVC LCD TVs connected via HDMI where picture distortion occurred when changing between channels and aspect ratios. We have worked closely with JVC to resolve the problem and a solution is part of this software download.

The change includes an enhancement to HDMI compatibility and as a result some customers may note the absence of their TV's applying aspect ratio changes when a fixed 720p or 1080i resolution output is selected on SkyHD box via HDMI. Whilst this might appear strange, this is the expected behaviour when a fixed 720p or 1080i output is selected and is now more consistent across differing makes and models of TV.

Our technology team are continuing to make further improvements and do listen to the feedback you put on the forums. So thanks for all your contributions.

Remote record

Finally, you may have noticed that over the last few weeks we've introduced a new function that allows you to use your mobile phone to set a recording on your Sky HD or Sky+ box. To find out more visit: http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skycom/remoterecord.

That's all for now but we'll keep working on new developments. Thanks for all your comments. Keep watching!

Sky HD Team

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17 January, 2006

British Sky Broadcasting (Sky) and Discovery Networks Europe announced today that Discovery HD will be part of the initial package of high-definition channels* available on Sky's HD service at launch.

Uniting the enhanced technology of HDTV with innovative content and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, Discovery HD is a 24-hour HD network that will bring audiences even closer to their world with breathtaking imagery and panoramic detail. The network will feature extensive programming on the wonders of the world, ranging from culture, engineering, science, technology and nature to travel and lifestyle themes.

Discovery HD will offer exclusive content from Discovery's extensive worldwide library of more than 1,000 hours of high-definition programming, including content commissioned specifically for the network such as Sunrise Earth and Atlas. The channel will also deliver a mix of some of Discovery's top series and specials in addition to feature-length "HDShowcase" presentations including Leopard Son, Alien Planet, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Discovery HD will offer programming in 1080i (or the 1080i HD format), which lends itself perfectly to the type of rich, spectacular images Discovery is renowned for.

Brian Sullivan, Sky's Director of Customer Products and Services, said:

"Sky HD will offer the best picture quality available, and the addition of Discovery HD to the portfolio will enable viewers to be transported into the amazing environments featured on the channel. Discovery HD will complete our initial channel line-up for the launch of Sky HD later this year."

Dan Brooke, UK General Manager, Discovery Networks Europe, adds:

"The universal appeal and relevance of the Discovery brand combined with the company's extensive library of visually compelling high-definition content make Discovery HD the ultimate television viewing experience. As the leading provider of high-definition networks in the world, we are committed to investing in HD content both regionally and across the globe."

Discovery HD programming confirmed for launch on Sky HD includes:

• Natural History: Jeff Corwin Experience and Profiles of Nature
• Science/Engineering: Extreme Engineering and 100 Greatest Scientific Discoveries
• Feature-length 'HDShowcase' presentations: Leopard Son, Alien Planet, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and Xtreme Martial Arts

Discovery HD completes the Sky HD initial launch package that also includes six of Sky's wholly-owned channels: Artsworld HD, Sky Sports HD, Sky One HD, Sky Box Office HD and two Sky Movies HD channels in addition to National Geographic HD.

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21 December 2005

Sky and Sony United Kingdom Limited announced today a major new marketing agreement to promote the benefits of high definition (HD) television. In a move that brings together two of the biggest brands in home entertainment, the companies will work together to promote the huge advance in picture and sound quality that HD will bring to television viewers from next year.

Sky intends to launch a broad package of HD channels across the UK and Ireland in the first half of 2006, including sports, movies, entertainment, documentary and arts channels. As well as experiencing the intensity and rich detail of HD pictures, customers will enjoy the added benefit of Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.

As a critical element to the company's ongoing strategy, Sony is committed to making a significant investment in HD in professional and consumer markets. From content creation to display, Sony has been a leader in HD from the start. BRAVIA, Sony's new brand for flat screen TVs, was launched in Europe in September this year with HD functionality at its core.

Through the agreement announced today, Sky and Sony UK will co-operate to raise awareness of HD in the run-up to next year's launch and beyond. The marketing campaign will encompass national advertising, direct marketing, demonstrations at events such as the Ideal Home Show and press and radio promotions. The two companies will promote each other's products in their marketing activity and there will be promotions to offer customers some great savings when they buy a Sony HD set and a Sky HD box together.

As sales of 'HD Ready' sets continue to grow, a key objective of the marketing campaign will be to help consumers to make informed choices if they are thinking of upgrading their TV set. It is estimated that almost one-third of all flat-screen sets sold in the UK in September were 'HD Ready' (Source: GFK) and Sky anticipates that around 700,000 HD sets will have been sold in the UK by the end of this year. The total is expected to rise to around two million by the end of 2006.

Announcing the agreement, James Murdoch, Sky's Chief Executive, said:

"Sky and Sony are two strong brands coming together to give consumers the best possible HD experience. Sony is the leading brand in HD sets and a great company to work with for the launch of Sky HD."

Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO, Sony Corporation, said:

"The full potential of high definition will now be realised. Until today we have laboured under a Catch 22. If the industry didn't produce and broadcast in HD, the consumer would be reluctant to purchase HD televisions or equipment. This agreement between Sony and Sky, two of the leading players in the market, will drive the adoption of high definition in the UK, and create a brilliant and compelling new entertainment experience for the consumer."

Mr Murdoch added:

"Rising sales of HD sets show there is a real appetite for the ultimate in picture quality and Sky is well placed to satisfy that demand. From technology to programming and affordability, everything is coming together for the launch of HD in 2006."

The new agreement between Sky and Sony UK builds on the existing successful relationship between the two companies. As part of a separate agreement, Sony built and equipped Sky's new HD studio with HD cameras, editing equipment and other production facilities.

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