Five To Make HD Debut On Sky This Summer
Released
on: March 26, 2010, 12:02 am
Author:
Sky
Industry:
Entertainment
Sky and Five have announced the launch this Summer of Five HD,
a high definition version (HD) of Five, which will show programming
that has been made in HD. Five HD will start broadcasting to more than
2 million Sky+HD homes in July.
The public service broadcaster's line-up lends itself to transmission in HD with
top-rating US dramas such as CSI and FlashForward, popular soaps including
Neighbours and Home & Away, international cricket and live Europa League football,
as well as blockbuster movies.
With the addition of Five HD, Sky customers will enjoy the largest range of HD
programming across both for
free-to-air and pay television. With access to HD channels from all UK terrestrial
broadcasters, and the widest variety of high-quality pay TV channels from Sky and
other leading channel brands.
Five becomes the 42nd channel to commit to joining Sky's HD line-up, following news that ITV
1HD, Sky News HD, Sky Sports HD 4 and Hallmark Channel HD are all to launch in the
months ahead. Sky is aiming to have 50 HD channels by Christmas.
Charles Constable, Five's Director of Strategy, said: "This is an exciting
opportunity for Five. Our programme schedule is more suited to HD than any other
major free-to-air commercial broadcaster given the wide range of high quality series
we broadcast. We're delighted to begin our HD journey with Sky."
Hilary Perchard, Sky's Director of Product Management, commented: "We're
delighted to announce the addition of Five HD to Sky+HD, the UK's leading high
definition service. Sky remains committed to delivering customers the best HD
service available, and this means continuing to launch high-quality channels right
across the schedule.”
As Europe's most comprehensive HD service, 2.1 million Sky+HD homes can currently access up to 37 HD
channels spanning entertainment, sports, movies, arts, drama, kids and
documentaries, including channel brands such as Sky Sports, Sky Movies, FX,
Discovery, Channel 4, Sky Arts, MTV, Nat Geo, ESPN, Disney, the BBC and Sky1.
The Sky+HD box not only provides access to Europe's most comprehensive HD service
and Sky's new HD electronic programme guide (EPG), but later this year it will also
offer customers access to full broadband-enabled video-on-demand service and Sky 3D,
Europe's first 3D TV channel. Sky intends to launch Sky 3D to pubs and clubs in
April before reaching residential homes later this year.
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Notes to editors
Five HD will be available without additional
subscription to viewers with Sky+HD boxes, a Sky viewing card and an HD-ready
television set.
About Sky
Sky operates the most comprehensive multichannel, multi-platform television service
in the UK and Ireland. Over 9.7 million homes enjoy an unprecedented choice of
movies, news, entertainment and sports channels. Sky continues to break new ground
with its own portfolio of channels: Sky1 combines its commitment to UK production
with the best of the US; Sky Arts continues to embrace new audiences as the UK's
only dedicated arts channel brand; Sky Sports is still raising the bar in sports
broadcasting; and Sky News remains a pioneer in multiplatform television news.
Almost 6.5 million Sky homes now enjoy the control and flexibility of Sky+ and 2.1
million homes have already joined Sky+HD, which provides access up to 37 dedicated
HD channels and future innovative services such broadband-enabled video-on-demand
and 3D TV.
Sky has also been the UK's fastest growing broadband and fixed-telephony provider
for the last two years.
About Five
Five (Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd.) is a commercially-funded UK public service
television broadcaster. Launched in 1997, it is owned by RTL Group, the leading
European entertainment network with 45 television stations and 31 radio stations in
11 countries and a worldwide production arm, FremantleMedia.
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For further information:
Stephen Gaynor
Head of Communications
Commercial
BSkyB
Grant Way
Isleworth
Middlesex
TW7 5QD
020 7805 6424
www.sky.com
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