Should Sky 1 be available on Freesat & Freeview?

Sun Glasses Ron · 18/02/15 - 19:39

With Sky spending millions on new programs & buying up the rights to others

Would it not be better for Sky to attract an even bigger share of the audience figures by making the channel available on all the free platforms?

As its only currently available on pay tv, via cable & satellite, its always going have a restricted limited audience

Where as if it were to broadcast via freeview/freesat it could compete directly with the other 5 main broadcasters

What's everyone else think?

Cricketblade · 18/02/15 - 19:48

Thats as daft as saying films at the Cinema should be free so more people can go watch them and they'll make the money via advertising.

Keith_13 · 18/02/15 - 19:50

Wait long enough and most appear on Pick anyway

LudwigVonDrake · 18/02/15 - 19:52

I can sort of see where you're coming from OP, but they'd just water down Sky 1 and put more on Atlantic or create another subs channel.

And they do already have a portal on Freeview , Pick, which is not used to its potential as a possible "Sky One lite".

Mr Sirs · 18/02/15 - 19:53

I guess they could do that and saturate the channel with cross over ads for other Sky (subscription) channels and services, and yes it would raise more awareness for Sky and poss. see higher viewing figures than what it gets now, but...

If it's full of repeats rather than 1st run shows would the channel attract higher figures than the current Pick TV on Freeview?

If Sky are investing in new progs why run them on a free to air channel rather than be on subscription? That probably wouldn't make business sense.

If it happened then it would call into question the business model of Sky and so viewers might feel there is no need to sign up to any other Sky packages.

I know where you are coming from but I don't see it happening.

technologist · 18/02/15 - 20:14

Sky have Pick ... If they could make more money by substituting another channel they would just do it .......
But they have not......

But what are " the main channels" .. The PSBs which is three channels individually owned including ine by a public corporation) and 8 substantive channels from the BBC many in HD

itscoldoutside · 18/02/15 - 20:56

Why on earth would they do that.

Bandspread199 · 18/02/15 - 21:29

Is there anything worth watching on Sky 1?

Dave_Gosport · 18/02/15 - 21:34

I wish they'd make a new series of Road Wars!

ohglobbits · 18/02/15 - 21:38

Bandspread199 wrote: »

Is there anything worth watching on Sky 1?

Prettymuch my thought. The previews I've seen for Stella and Freddie Flintoff's quest to bring back Fish and Chips look terrible.

i4u · 18/02/15 - 21:48

Dave_Gosport wrote: »

I wish they'd make a new series of Road Wars!

Isn't it to be retitled Classic Cars?

platelet · 18/02/15 - 21:52

Sky did their best to keep sky one off virgin for a long time whilst disputing the fees. When they knew they'd be forced to they gave in. Thereafter they launched Atlantic to play the same game again.

It's not about the revenue of the channel, it's about having a USP to flog the platform

niceguy1966 · 18/02/15 - 22:49

Bandspread199 wrote: »

Is there anything worth watching on Sky 1?

I get Sky 1 as part of the Talk Talk basic package and I think I've watched 10 hours of content in the last year, and nothing I couldn't live without.

Free or subscription, it is a bit of a pointless channel.

Anthony_UK · 18/02/15 - 23:02

Rupert Murdoch has ALWAYS seen to make money from his channels including HD and will NOT bow to ANYBODY to make Sky One fta via his own platform and Freesat and Freeview.

mattyb · 18/02/15 - 23:06

When Sky 1 was part of On Digital back in the day, along side the movie channels, they showed alternative schedules for those channels compared to their satellite versions, so it would be a bit pointless as they wouldn't probably show 'exclusive' content and it would end up like another Pick channel.

Jimmy_McNulty · 18/02/15 - 23:32

Bandspread199 wrote: »

Is there anything worth watching on Sky 1?

Extreme World. After that....

Zeropoint1 · 19/02/15 - 01:52

Sky One is a pretty awful channel now as has already been stated. It used to be amazing in the mid to late 90's and even quite good until the early 00's but over the last ten years it's just one of those channels everybody knows or remembers like MTV but has been mismanaged over the past decade. Though to be fair part of this is due to Sky spoiling it for Virgin viewers by creating Sky Atlantic and moving all the good programmes there and away from cable viewers.

KNs47 · 19/02/15 - 04:55

I've always thought it odd considering the size Sky has become broadcasting-wise that they haven't created a channel to take on the big terrestrial channels - logically Sky One - if nothing else it would act as free advertising for their pay offerings. This type of high volume, hard-sell advertising of big pay TV events is even more relevant for them now they have Now TV where non-contract viewers can nip in and out of the pay offering on a short term basis, say, for example big head to head PL matches or events like the Ryder Cup. Already some newspapers do list Sky One like the sixth terrestrial channel. In this case, Rupert would be happy that he's not actually giving a 'new' terrestrial channel away free, but more acting like a low life drug dealer getting new viewers hooked on what he really wants to sell at a premium. Essentially, that's what Sky Sports News did on Freeview until Sky went in the huff over an OFCOM complaint against them.

howard h · 19/02/15 - 11:16

Can I start a petition to keep Sky One OFF our wonderful freeview system???

Caxton · 19/02/15 - 11:25

Many people here are always complaining about Sky and Murdoch yet they appear to revel in the idea of trying to get Sky channels Free, so as long as they can get Sky for free, that is OK. If you want Sky 1 then pay for it, if not, stop trying to concoct some wonderful idea that to put it on free would be advantageous to Sky in some way or another. It's not, it is just advantageous to those who want yet another free channel.

i4u · 19/02/15 - 11:54

Caxton wrote: »

Many people here are always complaining about Sky and Murdoch yet they appear to revel in the idea of trying to get Sky channels Free, so as long as they can get Sky for free, that is OK. If you want Sky 1 then pay for it, if not, stop trying to concoct some wonderful idea that to put it on free would be advantageous to Sky in some way or another. It's not, it is just advantageous to those who want yet another free channel.

I think the gist of this thread is that Sky 1 isn't worth paying for.

Gibsy · 19/02/15 - 12:20

As soon as I saw the title of the thread I thought that will very soon turn into a "Sky 1 is crap anyway" discussion. Oh dear.....

bluesdiamond · 20/02/15 - 21:52

I like Sunday, Five-0, NCIS and The Lost Ship due back. So not all rubbish IMO.

Bandspread199 · 20/02/15 - 22:21

Sky 1 shouldn't even be on Sky!:cool:

spursboy68 · 21/02/15 - 01:30

From what I understand, if you make Sky 1 available on Freeview it can no longer be a subscription channel as well. As with E4 when it went on Freeview it's a choice between losing subscribers and gaining more viewers and advertising. My knowledge of the Sky paywall is limited, I'm afraid.

carnoch04 · 21/02/15 - 03:49

Isn't Dave on Freeview and also part of the Sky sub?

Hey there!

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Should Sky 1 be available on Freesat & Freeview?

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