BSkyB and ITV Channel Row Prepares To Go To Commons

The ongoing battle between BSkyB and ITV, involving ITV’s refusal to allow Sky to carry its channels on its digital service, looks set to become a political issue as both broadcasters prepare to attend a meeting with MP’s to discuss the issue.

The row was sparked last year when ITV executives refused to allow ITV, and its digital channel ITV2, to be carried on Sky Digital, which launched in October 1998 (see Newsline). According to ITV chairman Leslie Hill, this stance was an attempt to prevent Sky from ‘dominating the future of digital television (see Newsline).

ITV is currently still standing its ground in the debate, despite Sky’s significant argument late last year that the broadcaster looked set to save £500 million if it signed up to satellite carriage (see Newsline). The ITV companies Granada and Carlton jointly own ONdigital, the terrestrial digital rival to BSkyB.

BSKyB’s director of corporate communications Tim Allen told Newsline this morning that both broadcasters will be meeting at the House of Commons tomorrow to discuss the issue. Allen commented: “ITV should be available on digital satellite. It is unfair to restrict the channels to one platform given ITV’s public service obligations.”

A spokesperson from the ITC told Newsline that ITV and ITV2 are two separate issues. Whether ITV should be carried by digital satellite is currently being examined by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), whereas the case of ITV’s digital channel, ITV2, is currently still being examined by the ITC itself (see Newsline).

ITV: 0171 843 8000 ITC: 0171 255 3000 BSkyB: 0171 705 3200