Sky to challenge rivals with Sky Two and Three launch

by Sam Matthews Brand Republic 22-Sep-05, 10:30

LONDON – BSkyB is launching a new entertainment channel, Sky Three, on Freeview and satellite and is rebranding Sky One Mix to Sky Two in an attempt to challenge its terrestrial rivals' family of channels.

Sky Three will launch next month on Sky and will replace Sky Travel on Freeview, marking the satellite broadcaster's first entertainment offering on the free-to-air digital platform.

Sky Three will feature the first free-to-air run of the third series of US drama '24' starring Kiefer Sutherland and a mix of lifestyle and travel programming. Also on offer are repeats of popular programmes on Sky One such as crime drama 'Cold Case' and hypnotist Paul McKenna's personal transformation series 'I Can Change Your Life'.

Dawn Airey, managing director of Sky Networks, said: "The expansion of Sky's portfolio of entertainment channels will allow us to deliver more value to customers and to exploit programme rights more effectively.

"By launching simultaneously on Freeview, Sky Three will reach an even wider audience and offer digital terrestrial viewers the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of popular programmes from Sky."

Sky's closest competitor ITV already has ITV1, ITV2, ITV3 and the soon-to-be-launched ITV4, while the BBC now has BBC One through to Four. Before Sky's rebranding it had no clear family of entertainment channels.

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