Sky To Boost Entertainment Output With E! Network

BSkyB has announced that US entertainment network, E! Entertainment Television, will now be available as part of the basic Sky package.

The new entertainment channel will go on air in January and will broadcast entertainment and celebrity driven shows 24 hours a day. Sky has previously acquired individual programmes from the E! network, such as The Anna Nicole Show, which broke viewing records on its debut in the States.

The network, which is a major player in the American market, also airs in the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Analysts have suggested that the group’s expansion into Britain is due to the increased popularity of celebrity news and gossip.

Programming on E! Entertainment Television consists mainly of US shows and features, however, the network recently acquired a number of European programmes, including Nigella Bites from Channel 4.

Yesterday Sky unveiled a new look for its online news service, with added financial information and new features which aim to improve usability (see Sky News Boosts Online Output).

BSkyB: 0207 705 3000 www.sky.com

Recent Television Stories from NewsLine Channel 4 Cuts 45 Jobs From Commercial Arm Carlton And Granada To Up Investment In ITV2 Disney Channel Launches New Interactive Promotion

Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive