Digital Media

Tristan O'Carroll, Media Week, 10 November 2008, 2:50pm

Sky offers online only VoD service

LONDON - Sky is extending its VoD presence, allowing people for the first time to take online subscriptions to its various TV channels, without having to take its satellite TV service.

More choice: Sky is to offer access to some of its most popular channels via stand-alone VoD

Launching in the next few months, the new Sky Player service will offer access to some of Sky’s most popular channels, as well as channels from other broadcasters. Some of these will be available from launch, with more being added to the service over time.

Customers will be able to choose from a number of online subscription packages, while existing Sky TV customers will continue to enjoy access to Sky Player’s on-demand content in line with their core TV subscription.

Mike Darcey, Sky’s chief operating officer, said: While the laptop won’t replace the TV experience for most people, we’re creating more choices to allow customers to choose the option that suits their lifestyle.

Sky Player currently offers access to content from Sky channels – including Sky1, Sky Sports, Sky Arts, Sky Movies, Sky News and Sky Real Lives - and a range of third- party channel providers, including the BBC, National Geographic, The History Channel and ESPN Classic.

Full details on channel line-up, pricing and launch date will be announced at a later date.