PRESS RELEASE
Sky confirmed as Britain's most popular connected TV platform - with further innovations ahead
Sky today revealed that it's become the nation's number one connected TV platform with 4.4 million customers now enjoying On Demand from Sky, including the Britain's biggest Catch Up TV service. More than one million customers connected their Sky+HD boxes to broadband in the last three months alone - an average of 11,000 a day - to watch up to 60 Catch Up TV channels, hundreds of movies and box sets on demand.
2013 was a record-breaking year for connected TV viewing - with more than 450 million on demand requests through Sky+HD boxes, double the number from 2012. Viewing requests on Sky's mobile TV service, Sky Go, also grew to 770 million, up from 590 million in 2012. Taken together, Sky customers requested a whopping 1.2 billion shows and movies through Sky's connected services in 2013 - averaging 38 requests per second. Both Sky Go and Sky On Demand are available at no extra cost to all Sky TV customers, offering access to content in line with a customer's subscription.
Today's figures also reveal new highs during the festive period for connected TV viewing. During Christmas week, Sky customers set a new weekly record with a total of 35 million viewing requests to their Sky+HD box or smartphone, tablet or computer. This is up more than 50% on the previous Christmas and represents a new weekly record for Sky's connected TV services. On average, connected Sky TV homes downloaded more than five on demand TV shows or movies to their Sky+HD box alone during Christmas week.
Christmas week was also the best ever for Sky Store, with well over half a million movies rented through the service including World War Z, Man of Steel and After Earth during those seven days. There was also record viewing of TV Box Sets in December, with Grey's Anatomy, The Sopranos and Desperate Housewives all being downloaded more than a million times each.
As the trend for on demand viewing continues to rise, this spring will see the biggest shake up to Sky's electronic programme guide (EPG) since its introduction at the launch of digital TV in 1998.
The Sky Guide redesign will make it easier than ever to find on demand content. A brand new homepage will showcase all the viewing options available to Sky TV customers, including Catch Up TV, TV Box Sets, Sky+ Planner and Sky Store, as well as the live TV Guide. It means that for the first time ever, Sky customers can see all the content available to them up front, rather than drop into the live TV Guide and navigate from there. The new homepage will also let customers instantly search for their favourite content across all live and on demand content on Sky.
Luke Bradley-Jones, Sky's Director of TV Products, comments:
"Sky's connected TV services give Sky customers the flexibility to enjoy great TV when, where and how they want.
"The rapid growth in on demand viewing shows just how much customers love watching TV on their own terms - whether that's the latest movies available instantly on demand on their living room TV set or to catch up with last night's new drama series on the way to work.
"We're passionate about giving our customers their favourite content however they want to watch and will continue to make Sky's connected TV services even bigger and better during 2014, including an enhanced EPG that makes it even easier to find on demand content."
The growth in watching TV on demand has also been fuelled by continued investment in content throughout 2013. Key developments for customers over the year have included:
- The launch of 31 new Catch Up channels on Sky+HD, taking the total to 60 - the UK's largest Catch Up TV service. Four of these are launching this week: Dave, Gold, Watch and Alibi
- The launch of 20 new channels on Sky Go, bringing the total number available through the service to 57 - the widest range of channels available on the move from any pay-TV provider in Britain
- The addition of even more TV Box Sets of the latest and greatest shows. Sky customers with a connected Sky+HD box were able to choose from a total of 2,800 hours of TV Box Sets in December, double the total available a year before
To access Sky's On Demand service, Sky TV customers simply need to connect their Sky+HD set-top box to broadband.
- Christmas week means Monday 23rd to Sunday 29th December inclusive
- Sky Guide redesign will be available on all compatible Sky+HD boxes
About Sky
Sky is the UK and Ireland's leading home entertainment and communications company. Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.
Sky is the UK's biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.5 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News. Around two-thirds of Sky's content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes. More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.
Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator. Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.
Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi. NOW TV, Sky's second consumer brand, builds on the company's leadership in internet TV. Sky is also the UK's fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play' provider of TV, broadband and home phone.
Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts. Sky employs 23,000 people, has annual revenues of £7.2 billion and is estimated to support a £5.4 billion contribution to UK GDP. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY). www.sky.com/corporate.
