Sky One To Compete For Mainstream Audience

BSkyB has announced plans to reposition its entertainment channel Sky One for a broader audience, according to a report in Broadcast. David Bergg, the channel’s new general manager, said that it will compete directly with BBC1 and ITV in the future.

David Bergg joined the channel in December as general manager (see Sky One Appoints New General Manager), just weeks before it lost the rights to key US series ER and Friends to Channel 4 (see Channel 4 Steals Friends And ER Rights From Sky). It was series such as these which attracted a 16-34 audience to the channel.

Sky One now plans to build on this audience by extending the breadth of its programme output. Plans are still at an early stage and dependent on the amount of investment available, but it is believed that the channel is interested in competing with BBC and ITV for popular drama series.

There was no one available at Sky when contacted by Newsline.

BSkyB: 020 7705 3000