Digital Pay TV Groups Agree To Share MTV Broadcast

British Digital Broadcasting (BDB) has secured a deal to broadcast music channel MTV on its digital terrestrial television (DTT) service, which it is due to launch in the last quarter of this year.

BSkyB, however, has negotiated an arrangement which prevents BDB broadcasting MTV until July next year, giving Sky exclusive rights at the time of its full digital launch this September. It is understood that Sky had wished to gain overall exclusive rights to the channel, although the current deal gives it a head start over BDB.

One BDB source close to the deal said that MTV is a very attractive channel to secure for the DTT broadcaster’s launch as it is a big puller of a key young audience.

British Digital Broadcasting: 0171 819 8000 BSkyB: 0171 705 3000