BSkyB’s Revenue And Subscriber Numbers Up

BSkyB’s annual revenues rose from £3.84 billion to £4.15 billion, as it added 77,000 new subscribers during the last quarter and 389,000 for the year, according to the broadcaster’s results for the year ending 30 June.

The rise in subscriber numbers over the past financial year takes BSkyB to 8.18 million subscribers. The company’s expansion into broadband with Easynet was a contributing factor to the increase in its operating costs from £3.02 billion to £3.27 billion.

Post-tax profits were down from £578 million to £551 million, although Sky put forward an adjusted profit figure showing an increase from £540 million to £561 million. The company’s marketing costs increased by £95 million to £622 million.

Sky+ subscriber numbers increased over the year by 75% to 1.55 million, equivalent to 19% of the subscriber base. The company has 90,000 bookings for its HDTV service, which it expects to install by September. The number already installed is 38,000.

Chief executive James Murdoch said: “We have a clear vision for the future growth and direction of our business and we feel encouraged by the strong demand our customers show for new entertainment and communications services.

“With a continued focus on providing more choice, flexibility and control, we feel confident as we look ahead to the substantial opportunity this market holds for us.”

Sky: 08702 40 40 40 www.sky.com