Sky Enhances Parental Control Facility

Staff – MediaTel NewsLine

Satellite giant, Sky, has announced an upgrade to its Parental Control facility, allowing parents to restrict access to all channels, or even to remove the listings for adult channels from Sky’s programme Guide.

The new Parental Control features will be introduced in two phases. Phase 1 will allow concerned parents to restrict viewing to any digital satellite channel including Free to Air channels and unrated programmes.

Users will be able to choose whether to restrict access at all times or to prevent viewing only after 8pm, in order to unlock access to a restricted channel, a household member will have to enter a four digit PIN number using the Sky remote control.

The second phase will allow parents for the first time to remove all listings for adult channels to the Sky Guide.

The new controls, to be made available to all Sky and Sky+ boxes by this summer, are in addition to the existing ratings and spending limits that are already available via the Parental Control facility.

All digital satellite viewers will be able to take advantage of the enhanced Parental Control facility without purchasing any new equipment of paying any additional charge.

Commenting on the new technology, Brian Sullivan, director of customer products and services at Sky said: “Digital television brings an unprecedented choice of viewing, but parents want to be sure that their families get the best of what’s on offer.”

Sullivan added: “With these new controls, Sky is giving parents peace of mind and the ability to really manage their children’s viewing.”

Earlier in the year, BSkyB’s controversial acquisition of the live coverage rights to England’s test cricket matches got the green light by Ofcom following a consultation with the nation’s broadcasters and viewing public (see Sky’s Cricket Deal Gets Thumbs Up As Five Scoops Highlights).

Ofcom’s decision will allow BSkyB to broadcast exclusive coverage of test matches played in England in 2006-2009, while highlights of matches will be broadcast by Five following Sky’s broadcasts.

Sky: 08702 40 40 40 www.sky.com

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