Sky Scoops Five News Contract From ITN
Sky News has secured the multimillion contract to become Channel Five’s exclusive news provider until the end of the decade.
The wide-ranging deal begins next year and signals the end of Five’s contract with current content provider, ITN, which has supplied the broadcaster’s news content since its launch as Channel 5 in March 1997.
The new agreement will see Five gain access to Sky’s existing 24-hour operation consisting of eight regional and seven international bureau including Washington, Moscow, Jerusalem and Delhi. Five will also be able to use the satellite broadcaster’s team of 60 reporters, producers and technicians.
Five News anchor, Kirsty Young, will continue to front the station’s 17:30 and 19:00 bulletins, but will do so from a purpose built, state of the art studio in West London, due to be unveiled in the first Five News report of next year.
Commenting on the deal, Five’s senior programme controller, Chris Shaw, said: “Sky News is an award-winning proven news service. It was a difficult decision to move from ITN, which has done a fantastic job over the past seven years, but this will mean a bigger, better news for our viewers.”
The extensive five-year agreement, reportedly worth around £35 million, represents a major achievement for Sky News, which is understood to have been trying to secure a contract with a major terrestrial broadcaster for some time.
Earlier this week BSkyB chief executive, James Murdoch, shelved plans for the launch of a new general entertainment channel on the Freeview platform. It is understood that Murdoch decided that the satellite broadcaster should not allow itself to be distracted from its core aim of developing pay television in the UK (see BSkyB Shelves Plans For New Entertainment Channel).
Five: 020 7550 5555 www.five.tv Sky: 08702 40 40 40 www.sky.com
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