Sky Digital Reaches 1.8m Customers

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB has signed up 1.8 million customers to its digital television service, Sky Digital, the company announced at its AGM today. The subscriber number out-strips analysts’ forecasts which expected around 1.5 million subscribers to the service.

However, the cost of digital investment is still being felt at Sky. Financial results at the group and figures for the three months to 30 September show losses of £13.6 million. This compares to a profit of £52 million for the same period last year.

Rival digital broadcaster, ONdigital, last week announced that its customer base has grown to 411,000, up 66% on June this year (see ONdigital Sales Up By 66%).

The AGM was chaired by Rupert Murdoch, chairman of BSkyB. At the meeting Murdoch denied recent rumours that a merger between BSkyB and French media and utilities group, Vivendi, is on the cards. Vivendi has a 24.5% stakeholding in BSkyB and also owns 49% of French pay-TV operator, Canal Plus.

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