Sky and Virgin Media strike major new channel distribution agreement

Sky and Virgin Media have agreed a new five year plus agreement for the distribution of Sky’s content to Virgin Media’s TV customers. Through the agreement, Virgin Media will continue to offer its customers an extensive selection of Sky’s leading entertainment channels, as well as content from Sky Movies and Sky Sports. In addition to its current portfolio of Sky channels, Virgin Media will also offer its TV customers Sky Sports 3 HD, Sky Sports 4 HD, and Sky Sports F1 HD, with Sky Sports News HD and Sky News HD to follow.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Virgin TV customers will be able to access their Sky entertainment channels on multiple devices, including computers, and for the first time, selected tablets and mobiles, via the Virgin TV Anywhere app. From the summer, those TV customers with subscriptions to Sky Movies and Sky Sports will also be able to access live and on demand content on the go through Sky Sports and Sky Movies apps.

The new agreement builds on the strong existing relationship between Sky and Virgin Media, and enables Sky to continue broadening the reach of, and viewing to, Sky channels. The long-term nature of the contract gives each company clear financial visibility and opens up the opportunity for more Virgin TV customers to enjoy Sky’s channels.  

Jeremy Darroch, Chief Executive, Sky, comments: “We’re pleased to have extended our partnership with Virgin Media, which increases the reach of our content and reinforces our broadly-based approach to growth. This agreement builds on our long-standing relationship with Virgin Media, enabling us to deliver our great channels to even more homes across the UK and opening up additional sources of revenue.”

Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are excited our customers will be able to watch even more great TV from Sky on more devices as a result of the most extensive agreement ever signed between Virgin Media and Sky. This promises to be a fantastic summer of entertainment and our customers, whether at home or on the go, will get to enjoy Sky’s range of channels for years to come as a result of our investment.”

END

For more information:

Sky
Eleanor Mills
Eleanor.mills@bskyb.com
0207 0326615

Virgin Media
Gareth Mead
gareth.mead@virginmedia.co.uk
0333 000 2984

About Sky

Sky is the UK and Ireland’s leading home entertainment and communications company.  Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.

Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.5 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News.   Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes.  More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator.  Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.

Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi.  NOW TV, Sky’s second consumer brand, builds on the company’s leadership in internet TV.  Sky is also the UK's fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play’ provider of TV, broadband and home phone.

Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts.  Sky employs 24,000 people, has annual revenues of £7.2 billion and is estimated to support a £5.9 billion contribution to UK GDP.  Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY).


About Virgin Media

Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK.

The company’s cable network – the result of multi-billion pound private investment – delivers ultrafast broadband to over half of all UK homes, with speeds of up to 152Mb, as well as market leading connectivity to thousands of public and private sector organisations across the country.

Virgin Media has developed the most advanced interactive television service, bringing together broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to millions of British households.

The world’s first virtual mobile network was launched by Virgin Media and it is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.

Virgin Media is a part of Liberty Global plc, the world’s largest international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 25 million customers across 14 countries, helping connect people to the digital world and enabling them to discover and experience its endless possibilities.