Sky Secures Long Term Distribution Agreement With NTL

BSkyB and NTL have announced a new agreement which will see Sky’s core channels remain on the NTL network until the end of 2006.

As part of the new deal, Sky One and Sky News will continue to be carried on NTL’s analogue and digital TV services while Sky Sports News will still appear on NTL’s digital cable TV network.

The agreement will also see NTL’s digital TV service broadcast a further six channels, including Sky One Mix, Sky Travel, Sky Travel Extra and Sky’s three new music channels (see Sky Prepares To Launch New Digital Music Channels).

Commenting on the new deal, Martin Goswami, commercial director of BSkyB, said: “This agreement is a further step towards broadening the distribution and reach of Sky channels. We are delighted to secure carriage of those channels throughout the whole of NTL’s UK networks and we look forward to bringing six new channels to NTL customers for the first time.”

Aizad Hussain, managing director of NTL Home added: “We are delighted to have secured this long term agreement, adding further momentum to our programme of product enhancement. This is more good news for NTL customers.”

NTL claims to have 2.04 million TV customers in the UK of which 1.25m have digital TV.

Earlier this year the BBC announced an end to its £85 million five year carriage agreement with BSkyB and it is to begin broadcasting its eight TV channels unencrypted on digital satellite from May (see BBC Terminates Sky Carriage Deal).

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