Sky and BT sign channel sharing deal
Sky and BT have have signed a deal to sell their channels on each other’s platforms.
Under the deal, BT will now supply its sports channels – which show UEFA Champions League and Premier League football – to Sky.
In addition, BT will be able to sell Sky’s Now TV service – which includes Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and the Sky Atlantic channel – to its customers.
The deal comes as the firms face growing competition from online rivals.
Marc Allera, the chief executive of BT Consumer, told the BBC that the deal was partly so the firms could join forces against the potential online threat.
“A lot of technology companies are coming into the market with vast budgets, and changing the market. We need to ensure our customers get the best choice,” he said.
In a complex market, potential rivals can also be partners, he added.
- Walt Disney buys Murdoch’s Fox for $52bn
- Five reasons why the Murdochs are selling Fox to Disney
- Amazon to broadcast ATP Tour from 2019
He said the Sky deal was a “clear indication” of the importance BT attached to how digital and TV markets were converging, adding the firm would bid fiercely for exclusive content.
Bidding is due to begin in the next Premier League football rights auction in February, and digital giants such as Amazon and Facebook could throw their hats in the ring for streaming rights.
Click here to read more (Source: BBC News)