Sky Adds Channel 4's 4oD to Create the UK's Most Complete Catch-Up TV Service

LONDON, March 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

From Monday, Sky customers will be able to access the most complete catch-up TV service anywhere in the UK following the addition of 4 on demand (4oD) to Sky's On Demand service.

The upgrade comes at no charge for the growing number of Sky customers who have connected their Sky+HD box to broadband and can download catch-up content at a push of a button.  New figures show that the surge in connections has continued in the early part of 2013, with the total number of connected Sky+HD boxes now surpassing two million and continuing to grow rapidly.

With the launch of 4oD, catch-up content from Channel 4's portfolio of channels - including Channel 4, E4 and More 4 - will be available alongside hundreds of hours of great content from Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, the BBC, ITV, Channel 5, the History Channel, National Geographic and others.  Taken together, it means that Sky+ offers the most complete catch-up TV service in the UK, so customers never need to miss out on their favourite shows.

At the same time, older shows and series from the Channel 4 archives will also become available to download from the library section of Sky's On Demand service, where box-sets of classic shows and series are available.  Channel 4 series available on Sky will include The Inbetweeners, Shameless, Spaced, Father Ted, The IT Crowd and This Is England'88.

In addition to joining the On Demand service on Sky⁺, Channel 4 is also the first terrestrial network to offer its channels and programmes on Sky Go, Sky's award-winning internet and mobile TV service.  From Monday Sky Go users will be able to enjoy Channel 4 and More4 live on their laptop, smartphone, or tablet, with E4 and Film4 to follow shortly.

In addition, a range of classic Channel 4 shows will be available within the On Demand section of Sky Go.  And for Sky customers who upgrade to Sky Go Extra, those Channel 4 shows can be downloaded to watch offline, so they can enjoy TV on the move even when they're not connected to the internet.

And finally, More4 HD joins Sky's line-up of HD channels, giving Sky's 4.5 million HD customers an even greater choice of their favourite TV in HD.   Film4 HD will also join the Sky platform in September, further extending Sky's market-leading line-up of HD channels.

Luke Bradley-Jones, Sky's Director of TV Products, comments:

"The way people enjoy TV is changing as customers embrace technology to take control over their viewing.  We know customers have busier lives than ever, which is why we've created the most comprehensive catch-up service in the UK.

"Over 2 million Sky customers have already connected their Sky+ box to the Internet so they can enjoy our full catch-up and On Demand service.  But we are working hard to get even more Sky homes connected as we know our customers love the control and flexibility it gives them - it's a perfect complement to Sky+.

"Offering great TV from Channel 4 on demand on Sky+ and on Sky Go at no extra charge is all part of our continued commitment to offer our customers the best combination of content and innovation."

Sarah Rose, Channel 4's Director of Commercial & Business Development, adds:

"The launch of our successful VOD service, 4oD, on the Sky on demand and Sky Go platforms this month will extend the reach of our content to enable even more viewers to enjoy our wide range of programmes. And through the recent arrival of More4 HD and much anticipated launch of Film4 HD in September, we're delighted to complete the roll out of our HD portfolio."

Notes to editors

The addition of Channel 4 content on the platform means that Sky customers can now choose from a total of up to 45 channels on Sky Go, with the Channel 4 channels joining on-demand content from all of Sky's wholly-owned channels and live and on-demand TV from a selection of other leading broadcasters including Disney, ESPN, Turner, Nickelodeon and British Eurosport. The content available live or on demand on Sky Go runs in line with a customer's Sky TV subscription.

To enjoy On Demand, including Catch Up TV, Sky customers simply need to activate their On Demand service and connect their Sky+HD box to their broadband router. Once a Channel 4 programme is downloaded onto the Sky+HD box, it will be available to view in line with the amount of time it is available on 4oD.

http://www.sky.com

SOURCE Sky