Sky signs exclusive deal with HBO!

[daveh75]

"Sky has landed a major deal with HBO, securing the exclusive UK rights to its entire TV catalogue.

The deal will give Sky access to HBO's archive, including hit series The Wire, True Blood and Sex And The City, and all forthcoming shows over the next five years.

The first HBO series to be shown on Sky will be Martin Scorsese's much-anticipated gangster drama Boardwalk Empire. Set in the east coast resort town of Atlantic City in the 1920s, it stars Steve Buscemi as a mob boss who makes a fortune importing illegal alcohol. It makes its debut on HBO in America in September and broadcast in the UK shortly after.

Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include Game of Thrones, the fantasy drama based on the series of books; A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, and Luck, executive produced by David Milch and Michael Mann, and starring two time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman.

HBO shows currently airing on rival broadcasters such as Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm will move to Sky when current deals expire. Programmes will also be available through Sky's on-demand platforms, including the soon-to-launch Sky Anytime+ service.

The corporation will also have first refusal with respect to all future HBO UK co-productions.

Sophie Turner Laing, Sky's Managing Director of Entertainment, said: “We are committed to bringing customers the best possible choice of pay content, whether that's through original UK production or the best of the US.

"Like HBO, we believe that innovative, high-quality content is worth paying for. We are therefore delighted to have partnered with one of the most renowned names in television. HBO has demonstrated year after year the opportunity for pay television to push creative boundaries and create must see TV. “

The corporation also announced today plans for Europe's first 3D channel, which will launch on Fri 1 Oct with a range of films and sports content including the Ryder Cup and two Premiership football games each week."

http://tv.sky.com/sky-signs-exclusive-deal-with-hbo
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jul/29/bskyb-buys-hbo-tv-catalogue

 

[markyd]

How very depressing.

Sky have basically got a monopoly on anything worth watching - and anyone who has subscribed has helped them in thier world domination.

Makes me sick

 

[Tom Moreno]

The flip-side is that all those who do pay Sky for their services will be happy about this deal as it ensure they'll be getting their money's worth.

 

[daveh75]

markyd:How very depressing.

I agree...

Tom Moreno:The flip-side is that all those who do pay Sky for their services will be happy about this deal as it ensure they'll be getting their money's worth.Trouble is i suspect more HBO programmes will now be shown on Sky Premiere, like The Pacific was-Meaning you'll need to subscribe to Sky Movies 1 and 2 to view them....

So i see it as yet another way to screw more money out of subscribers.

 

[Anonymous]

daveh75:
Tom Moreno:The flip-side is that all those who do pay Sky for their services will be happy about this deal as it ensure they'll be getting their money's worth.Trouble is i suspect more HBO programmes will now be shown on Sky Premiere, like The Pacific was-meaning you'll need to subscribe to Sky Movies 1 and 2 to view them....

So i see it as yet another way to screw more money out of subscribers.

That was going to be my next question...but I'm sure you're right on the money (sorry) and it will no doubt cost subscribers extra to cover the costs of the no doubt expensive exclusive deal with HBO. That was always my concern about signing up...it just mushrooms way beyond the initial agreement and price that was agreed in the signing up contract if you want to have anything like a complete package and service !!! doh

 

[The_Lhc]

daveh75:Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include Game of Thrones, the fantasy drama based on the series of books; A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin,

AWESOME!!! Can't wait for this!

 

[scene]

the_lhc:daveh75:Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include Game of Thrones, the fantasy drama based on the series of books; A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin,

AWESOME!!! Can't wait for this!

Agree that Game of Thrones looks good, but somehow I foresee a repeat of the Star Wars Clone Wars saga - i.e. on Sky Movies, so extra subscription required. Which really annoys me. And as the OP says, I'm sure the subs will go up to help cover the HBO deal.

Looks like the Sky Hegemony is extending...

 

[Anonymous]

super smashing great

..

ok ive got the cash , who do i pay ? take it sky , please take it , i cant wait for all those , all those , all those repeats

..

 

[scene]

scene:. And as the OP says, I'm sure the subs will go up to help cover the HBO deal.
To expand on this... The deal is apparently worth £150 million over 5 years - so Sky have got to find £30 million a year extra from somewhere...

 

[Andrew Everard]

scene:so Sky have got to find £30 million a year extra from somewhere...

...Although given that it's just announced a pretax profit of £1.17bn...

 

[The_Lhc]

scene:
the_lhc:daveh75:Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include Game of Thrones, the fantasy drama based on the series of books; A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin,

AWESOME!!! Can't wait for this!

Agree that Game of Thrones looks good, but somehow I foresee a repeat of the Star Wars Clone Wars saga - i.e. on Sky Movies, so extra subscription required.

Not for me!!!

Which really annoys me. And as the OP says, I'm sure the subs will go up to help cover the HBO deal.

Looks like the Sky Hegemony is extending...

Possibly, or they'll get more advertising or more subscribers, or both, there's no other reason to spend that sort of money, except to entice more people to watch.

 

[scene]

Andrew Everard:
scene:so Sky have got to find £30 million a year extra from somewhere...

...Although given that it's just announced a pretax profit of £1.17bn...

The advantages of a virtual monopoly...

Though I'm sure that they do need to ensure they have as many USPs as possible, now that Virgin are increasing their HD offering and with increased Sky Sports availability at lower costs from Virgin and BT. (Sky are obviously a bit worried about this, witness the egg and soldiers adverts...)

 

[The_Lhc]

scene:Andrew Everard:
scene:so Sky have got to find £30 million a year extra from somewhere...

...Although given that it's just announced a pretax profit of £1.17bn...

The advantages of a virtual monopoly...

Do you think it's always been like that? The only reason Sky have a monopoly at the moment is because they were more successful than their former competitors.

It's not their fault everyone else is rubbish or still don't have the coverage required to properly service the rest of the country.

 

[scene]

the_lhc:scene:Andrew Everard:
scene:so Sky have got to find £30 million a year extra from somewhere...

...Although given that it's just announced a pretax profit of £1.17bn...

The advantages of a virtual monopoly...

Do you think it's always been like that? The only reason Sky have a monopoly at the moment is because they were more successful than their former competitors.

It's not their fault everyone else is rubbish or still don't have the coverage required to properly service the rest of the country.

This is why I referred to the Sky Hegemony earlier, rather than a monopoly. They have executed a very successful strategy of divide and conquer and have established a cultural hegemony, which they are now defending by a combination of removing the strategic resources available to their competitors and advertising to persuade people that their way is the only way...

 

[scene]

Andrew Everard:
scene:so Sky have got to find £30 million a year extra from somewhere...

...Although given that it's just announced a pretax profit of £1.17bn...

According to the Beeb it was £878m for the year to the end of June

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ah, well I defer to the BBC. My info only came from Sky...

 

[hammill]

Andrew Everard:Ah, well I defer to the BBC. My info only came from Sky...
Both figures are correct, one is before tax, the other after tax.

 

[Andrew Everard]

hammill:Both figures are correct, one is before tax, the other after tax.

Hence my use of the term 'pretax profit'

 

[6th.replicant]

Very depressing.

"Undomesticated equines" couldn't get me to sign for Sky.

Recently had a fist-full of 'free' Sky channels, incl 1 and Arts etc, when I briefly had TalkTalk's IPTV. Couldn't find anything to watch on Sky's on a consistent basis - Sky 1 seemed to be endless repeats of 24 and docs featuring some baffoon who was in EastEnders.

IMHO, better off buying Blu-ray box-sets of fave series and then, once watched, selling 'em on Amazon's second-hand market thingy. Saves £££s in long-run - and preserves sanity.

 

[Anonymous]

I am so much happier with sky, even though my box broke more times than I can count, they have been fast and friendly fixing it.

The prices are ok, and they beat virgin hands down for customer service.

So they can monoploy all they want as long as my bills dont go up lots

 

[daveh75]

scene:scene:. And as the OP says, I'm sure the subs will go up to help cover the HBO deal.
To expand on this... The deal is apparently worth £150 million over 5 years - so Sky have got to find £30 million a year extra from somewhere...

£30 million per annum is peanuts to Sky. They'll recoup that within a couple of months of the september price rises...

 

[6th.replicant]

6th.replicant:Very depressing.

"Undomesticated equines" couldn't get me to sign for Sky...
Oooooo noooooooo!

Now pulling a size-10 from my gob.

Due to move to the sticks in 10 days, where, I've just been informed, the only means of getting TV is via Sky (dish)...

 

[daveh75]

6th.replicant:6th.replicant:Very depressing.

"Undomesticated equines" couldn't get me to sign for Sky...
Oooooo noooooooo!

Now pulling a size-10 from my gob.

Due to move to the sticks in 10 days, where, I've just been informed, the the only means of getting TV is via Sky (dish)...

There's always Freesat!

 

[6th.replicant]

daveh75:6th.replicant:6th.replicant:Very depressing.

"Undomesticated equines" couldn't get me to sign for Sky...
Oooooo noooooooo!

Now pulling a size-10 from my gob.

Due to move to the sticks in 10 days, where, I've just been informed, the only means of getting TV is via Sky (dish)...

There's always Freesat!

You'd think, but according to my neighbour - it's a semi-detached in the middle-of-nowhere - Freesat is also a non-starter.

Anyway, isn't Freesat turing out to be a 21st-century Betamax - BBC HD and umm, er..?

This is serious - I do not want to have to get Sky!

 

[scene]

Andrew Everard:
hammill:Both figures are correct, one is before tax, the other after tax.

Hence my use of the term 'pretax profit'

Good ol'Auntie say it's "pretax" as well. Guess Sky's more likely to be right about its own profits - so I'll go with £1.17bn pre-tax, £878mil after Tax... Good profit margin as well, as this is on £5.9bn revenue. Compared this to Virgin Media's net loss of £68.5mill...