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Sky Player Growing, Access TV Through your PC!

BSkyB is adding six more live streaming channels to the Sky Player online pay TV platform it relaunched in December. With the addition of UKTV’s Eden and GOLD, National Geographic Wild and Sky’s own Sky Real Lives and Sky Movies Screen 1 and 2, Sky Player is now becoming an internet counterpart to the premium satellite offering that has been Sky’s core for the last 20 years. On-demand director Griff Parry told us Sky’s plans for the future…

For those who are Sky satellite subscribers, Sky Player is all about place-shifting - free to those who also take broadband or multiroom, the service’s 18 live channels are available not just in rooms beyond the lounge, but anywhere there is an internet connection; there’s also VOD content from across 23 TV channels, too.

Though Sky Player is currently available only on computer screens, the idea is to do “Sky TV to devices that aren’t (just) set-top boxes”: “As we enhance Sky Player, we will expand it to devices linked to TVs. The range of devices will extended over time, just as iPlayer has extended…” Just like the BBC’s player, Sky’s roadmap includes games consoles and mobile - “both are definitely in our plans”.

Sky already has a relationship with Sony  to offer shows to PSP handhelds, so one can at least imagine Sky Player being delivered to Playstation 3, though this wasn’t confirmed. The satcaster already offers live channels via mobile operators.

UKTV Channels to be Available Online Via Sky Player

UKTV has struck a deal with BSkyB’s Sky Player service to make channels including Gold available on an online TV service for the first time.

Sky Player will offer live streamed content from UKTV entertainment channel Gold and factual service Eden to digital satellite TV subscribers from tomorrow. The channels will be added to the Sky Player subscription service, which was launched in December.

The service is also adding National Geographic Wild, Sky Real Lives and Sky Movies Screen 1 and 2 to its on demand line up from tomorrow.

Archive programming will be available on-demand along with a chance to catch up with the channel’s current output.

“All of our recent rebrand activity has been about creating a portfolio of multiplatform brands so we’re really excited about giving fans of Gold and Eden the opportunity to view these channels live online for the first time,” said Ben Phillis, UKTV’s head of business development and platform distribution.

“By signing this deal with Sky Player, we’re offering greater flexibility to our content while catering to those viewers who are increasingly as comfortable watching shows online as they are through their TVs.

“We decided to offer our two leading factual and entertainment brands ahead of other pay-TV channels in our portfolio because we felt they’d add breadth and variety to the Sky Player offering.”

In December BSkyB revealed a choice of three online Sky Player TV subscription packages - ranging from £15 to £34 per month - including channels such as Disney, MTV, Sky Sports, British Eurosport and Nickelodeon.

BSkyB will now add a new premium movies subscription pack, while the entertainment pack will be increased from eight to 12 channels.

“We’re delighted to welcome two of UKTV’s new-look channels to the Sky Player platform and the addition of further third-party channels shows the strength of Sky Player as a natural aggregator of high quality TV online,” said Griff Parry, the BSkyB director of on-demand.

In October the BBC struck a deal with BSkyB to make iPlayer shows such as Doctor Who and EastEnders available through the Sky Player. The BBC’s programming is available free-to-air with viewers transferred to the iPlayer website to watch programming.

Existing Sky TV customers can watch the on-demand programmes that are covered by their monthly subscription at no extra cost. UKTV is a joint venture between the BBC and Virgin Media, with both partners having an equal stake.