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| BSkyB & Sky's Television Channels |
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Formed in 1990 by the equal merger of Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting, BSkyB is the largest pay-TV broadcaster in the United Kingdom with over 10 million subscribers.
Sky utilizes the VideoGuard pay-TV scrambling system owned by NDS, a Permira/News Corporation company. There are tight controls over use of VideoGuard decoders; they are not available as stand-alone DVB CAMs (Conditional Access Modules). BSkyB has design authority over all digital satellite receivers capable of receiving their service. The receivers, though designed and built by different manufacturers, must conform to the same user interface look-and-feel as all the others. This extends to the Personal video recorder (PVR) offering (branded Sky+).
BSkyB initially charged additional subscription fees for using a Sky+ PVR with their service; waiving the charge for subscribers whose package included two or more premium channels. Customers that do not subscribe to Sky's channels can still pay a monthly fee to enable Sky+ functions.
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| In January 2010 Sky discontinued the Sky+ Box, limited the standard Sky Box to Multiroom upgrade only and started to issue the Sky+HD Box as standard, thus giving all new subscribers the functions of Sky+. In February 2011 Sky discontinued the non-HD variant of their Multiroom box, offering a smaller version of the SkyHD box without Sky+ functionality. |
| Website: www.sky.com |
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| Sky1 & Sky1 HD |
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom.
In the United Kingdom the channel is available on digital satellite via Sky on channel 106 as well as through digital cable via Virgin Media and as well as through IPTV via Sky Go and TalkTalk TV. In Ireland the channel is available on Sky Ireland on channel 106, UPC Ireland on channel 114 and Magnet Networks.
Sky1 listings include some very popular broadcasts, many imported from North America, including 24, The X-Files, Stargate (SG1, SGA & SGU), Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, Bones, Lost, Fringe, Prison Break, House, The Simpsons, and Lie to Me.
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| Programming |
The channel relies heavily on screenings of American television programmes, with many coming from Murdoch's Fox Network. The Simpsons has been airing on Sky1 since both of its early years, making the series not only the longest running program on Sky1 but also the longest running prime time animated series to date. As many as five episodes of The Simpsons are broadcast each evening, with any new episodes generally being shown on Thursday. Sky1 has exclusive rights in the United Kingdom to show the most recent series of The Simpsons. Another early and long running fixture was Married... with Children, which ran all through the 1990s, but in the early 2000s the show suddenly disappeared from its regular schedule and has not been screened on any Sky channel since.
Sky1 was also the original home to the United Kingdom's first run showings of episodes of ER and Friends, for seasons 4–6 of both shows (Channel 4 had shown Seasons 1–3 first), giving Sky1 some of the highest ratings for any satellite channel. In 2000, 2.8 million viewers watched an episode of Friends, the highest rated show on any satellite channel. However when Channel 4 launched their own digital sister channel E4 they outbid Sky1 for exclusive first run rights to both shows. However, Sky1 still held the repeat rights for the early seasons of both shows for several years. |
Sky has commissioned a number of United Kingdom-made programmes such as Dream Team, a drama series based on a fictional football team; The Strangerers (a science fiction sitcom that was dropped after one series and never repeated); Al Murray's sitcom Time Gentlemen Please; and Baddiel's Syndrome. Hex, another sci-fi show, had proved popular but was cancelled in April 2006 and Mile High also proved quite popular but it only lasted from 2003–2005. Sky One commissioned Terry Pratchett's Hogfather for Christmas 2006 proving to be their most successful programme ever. Following the success of The Hogfather Sky brought out in 2008 an adaptation of The Colour of Magic and its second half The Light Fantastic, and in 2010 Terry Pratchett's Going Postal, the 33rd book in The Discworld series. Sky also co-produces The 4400 and co-financed the first season of Battlestar Galactica.
It also screens many "reality" shows such as Cruise with Stelios, Road Wars, Shock Treatment, World's Deadliest Gangs, Pineapple Dance Studios, World of Pain, Road Raja, Ibiza Uncovered, Cirque de Celebrité and the most recent series Hairspray: The School Musical. It also recently has received success with entertainment science shows Brainiac: Science Abuse and spin-offs, Brainiac: History Abuse and Brainiac's Test Tube Baby and also Mission Implausible. Less successful shows include Harry Enfield's Brand Spanking New Show.
Sky1 have also commissioned a number of game shows including Blockbusters. The most recent game show is from Mark Burnett, Are You Smarter Than a 10-Year Old, based on a United States format. On 30 January 2008, Sky One announced plans to bring back the UK 1990s game show Gladiators which was subsequently cancelled in 2009. In 2011, Sky1 also commissioned several new comedies including Trollied and Mount Pleasant. |
| Sky1 HD |
| Sky1 HD is a simulcast of Sky1 and screens high-definition versions of some of the channel's programming, which include Lost, Bones, 24, Fringe, Prison Break, House, and most recently new episodes of The Simpsons. Programmes that are not available in HD are upscaled (Although Sky1 does show the original widescreen film from Malcolm in the Middle, unlike most US broadcasts, since the series was originally filmed on Panavision widesceen film but cropped to full-screen by most broadcasters. This airing of the original film preserves the shows appearance without stretching or upscaling, although some scenes were compromised for widescreen and had to be upscaled).
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| Sky have stated that they intend to increase the amount of HD content they show, and hoped that by the end of 2008, two thirds of all prime time shows, and 90% of their own original commissions, would be in HD. On 1 October 2010, Sky1 HD launched on Virgin Media channel 122, with Sky2 moving to channel on 22 September 2010, to make way for the new channel. |
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| Sky2 |
Sky2 launched on 2 December 2002 as Sky One Mix. Sky2 is now available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable and TalkTalk TV platforms in the UK. It is also available in the Republic of Ireland on the UPC Ireland platform.
Sky2 carries some programming from Sky Travel and Sky Vegas. Sky2's programming mostly features sci-fi programming such as Futurama, the Stargate franchise and Star Trek Enterprise. However, other Sky1 drama shows such as Bones, documentary strands such as Road Wars, Street Wars, Hello Goodbye also form the Sky2 schedule.
Sky2 is essentially a "catch-up" service for Sky's main entertainment channel Sky1, broadcasting popular Sky1 shows a few days after their original airing. Sky2's programming showcases the best of Sky1's content and a mix of sci-fi, action and factual programmes targeting young men.
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| Sky News |
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.
The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News is also offered in an international version without the British adverts under the name Sky News International available in Europe and Asia.
Based at a news centre in London, Sky News started broadcasting on 5 February 1989 as part of the then four-channel Sky Television service. Sky News provides an hourly news radio service to multiple radio networks in the UK and Ireland. The channel currently has seven UK bases each with their own correspondents, and the channel can also call upon a wide range of resources and global bureaux provided by its parent company News Corporation such as reporters from Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network (its sister news and business channels).
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Sky News has built its schedule around the main anchors with appointment to view broadcasts regularly being supplemented by landmark broadcasts. Although most of its programmes feature one main presenter, when major breaking news reaches the channel it has recently started to revert to the old double-headed style with two presenters anchoring. Sky News is known for its innovations in news broadcasting and regularly wins awards for this and also for its broadcasting in general. Sky News has started to revamp its graphics almost every year, with the latest revamp unveiled on 6 May 2010.
In late December 2008, Sky News began broadcasting from Studio B at Sky News centre, while work on the main newsroom was being carried out. On 4 February 2009 at 6am broadcasting resumed from the revamped newsroom. This coincided with the channel's 20th anniversary on 5 February 2009.
From 30 March 2010, Sky News again began broadcasting from Studio B as the final preparations took place for the launch of Sky News HD. Broadcasting returned to the main newsroom at 9pm on 6 May 2010, for the launch of Sky News HD and the results of the 2010 UK general election. |
| Website: Sky News |
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| Sky Atlantic |
Sky Atlantic launched on 1 February 2011 on Sky in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Sky Atlantic is available in both standard definition and high definition.
Programmes on the channel are also offered to Sky customers via on-demand channels including the Sky Anytime+ and Sky Go services.
Sky Atlantic also utilises the HD swap bouquet system developed by Sky, which switches SD channels with HD channels for HD Pack subscribers, meaning Sky Atlantic HD is on channel 108 and the standard definition version appears on channel 173.
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Sky Atlantic relies heavily on screenings of US television programmes, with forty percent of all programming coming from HBO. Although the channel mainly screens dramas, there are blocks in the schedule dedicated to comedies, movies and a showcase of content from Sky Arts. Sky have also committed to commission at least six UK programmes per year for the channel.
The launch of Sky Atlantic followed the broadcaster's £150m, five-year deal to snap up the exclusive UK and Irish TV rights to HBO's entire archive, new HBO programming and a first-look deal on all co-productions. The deal does not cover programmes with pre-existing agreements with other broadcasters, such as the first-run rights to Eastbound & Down and True Blood on FX, until their licence expires. Sky is also understood to have bid at least 25% more than the BBC to acquire Lionsgate Television's Mad Men. On 5 January 2011, Sky secured Blue Bloods and The Borgias for Sky Atlantic in a deal with CBS Studios International. |
| Website: http://skyatlantic.sky.com |
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| Pick TV |
Pick TV is available free-to-air on Freeview and TalkTalk TV, and free-to-view on satellite via Sky, Freesat from Sky and Virgin Media. The channel was originally launched on 31 October 2005 as Sky Three. Sky rebranded Sky3 as Pick TV on 28 February 2011.
The number of well known Sky1 shows being shown on Pick TV has declined. The channel is well known for airing repeats of Road Wars and Airline whilst other shows such as Coach Trip and It's Me or the Dog are also shown regularly. The number of American shows airing on the channel has declined rapidly, with Prison Break the last major US Sky1 drama to be shown on the channel in 2010. Since its rebrand to Pick TV recent Sky1 shows such as UK Border Force, Pineapple Dance Studios and documentary series hosted by Ross Kemp such as gangs and in search of Pirates have been aired. The most recent major US series to be shown on Pick TV is Glenn Martin, DDS, being broadcast since September 2010. As of 5th October 2011 US drama Lie to Me series 1 is being shown. |
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| Sky Arts1, Sky Arts2 & Sky Arts 1 & 2 HD |
| Sky Arts and Sky Arts HD is the brand name for a group of art-oriented television channels offering 18 hours a day of programmes dedicated to highbrow arts, including theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music (such as opera performances and classical and jazz sessions). The channels are available via Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk TV, included in most basic subscription packs, but started life as a premium service requiring an additional payment on top of the monthly Sky subscription.
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Sky Arts 1, focuses on the more modern and independent side of Sky Arts' programming. Schedules include cutting-edge documentaries, cult films, and rock concerts.
Sky Arts 2, features classical music, opera, dance and fine arts programming. Sky Arts 1 HD and Sky Arts 2 HD broadcasts from 7pm-2am daily. |
| Website: www.skyarts.co.uk |
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| Television channels operated by BSkyB |
Sky1
Sky2
Sky Arts
Sky Atlantic
Sky Living
Sky Livingit
Sky Living Loves
Sky Movies
Sky Movies Box Office
Sky News
Sky Sports
Sky Sports News
Pick TV |
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