Sky Three To Launch On Freeview

Satellite giant BSkyB is to launch its first fully-fledged entertainment channel on the Freeview platform, with Sky Three intended to boost the broadcaster’s profile on the free to air service and provide a showcase for the content of its paid for digital satellite channels.

The move will also see Sky One’s sister station, Sky Mix, rebranded as Sky Two, although this will not be available to Freeview viewers.

The channel reshuffle is clearly intended to increase Sky’s share in digital homes, after successes by rival entertainment offerings such as BBC3, ITV2, ITV3 and E4. The situation is set to worsen in the coming months, with the launch of ITV4 (see ITV4 Lifts Lid On Launch Programmes) and More4 looming large on the horizon (see October Launch To Bring More4 To The Masses).

An early highlight of the Sky Three schedule will be the first free-to-air screening of US drama 24‘s third season. Also transferring to Sky Three after successful runs on Sky One will be crime drama Cold Case and hypnotist Paul McKenna’s personal transformation series I Can Change Your Life.

Explaining the new channel arrangements, Dawn Airey, managing director of Sky Networks, said: “The expansion of Sky’s portfolio of entertainment channels will allow us to deliver more value to customers and to exploit programme rights more effectively. By launching simultaneously on Freeview, Sky Three will reach an even wider audience and offer digital terrestrial viewers the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of popular programmes from Sky.”

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