Sky adds 340,000 subscribers

by Ellen Bennett, Media Week 02-May-07, 12:00

LONDON - BSkyB has won 340,000 new subscribers and increased its advertising revenue by £1 million year-on-year to £258 million, according to its third quarter financial results released today.

The success comes despite the broadcaster's ongoing legal dispute with Virgin Media which, it says, it will defend vigorously in the High Court.

Sky now has 8.492 million customers, but suffered a 13% churn - the measure of how many customers left the service.

The results show 34% year-on-year growth in the take up of Sky+, to 2.167 million, exceeding the 25% penetration target three years early.

The broadcaster's revenue increased by 10% to £376 million, including £41 million from residential broadband and £117 million from Easynet Enterprise.

Chief executive James Murdoch welcomed the results, claiming customer response to the See, Speak, Surf campaign advertising television, telephone and broadband bundles had been "very encouraging".