Sky Multichannels

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The Sky Multichannels logo used in all promotions by British Sky Broadcasting
The Sky Multichannels logo used in all promotions by British Sky Broadcasting

Sky Multichannels was a package of analogue television channels offered by British Sky Broadcasting on the Astra fleet of satellites.[1][2] The service started on September 1, 1993[3] and continued until the closure of BSkyB's analogue service on September 27, 2001,[4] due to the launch and expansion of the Sky Digital platform. The service was originally priced GB£6.99 at launch, but was free to existing subscribers to premium channels, Sky Sports and Sky Movies.[5] Channels were encrypted using NDS Groups VideoCrypt system,[1] and required a monthly subscription payment, VideoCrypt decoder and valid viewing card to receive the channels.

Contents

[edit] Channels

Six channels were already broadcasting on Astra's satellites prior to being added to the Sky Multichannels package. Some of the channels did broadcast free-to-air prior to their addition to the Sky Multichannels package:

Other channels which launched on September 1 as part of the Sky Multichannels package were:

More channels joined the multichannels package, including QVC which launched on October 1, 1993 and VH1 which launched on October 1, 1994.[5] Nick At Nite, although part of the original Multichannels plan, did not launch.[8] Sky Soap and Sky Travel also launched on October 3, 1994 as part of the package.[9][10] The launch of Astra 1D allowed Sky to expand the multichannels package further,[11] including the launch of Sky's pay-per-view Box Office channels in January 1997.

Sky News was also part of the Sky Multichannels package but remained free-to-air.

A European Multichannels package run by BSkyB also using the VideoCrypt encryption system[12] was planned to be launched soon afterwards[13], but did not come to fruition. A European package of channels separate from BSkyB called Multichoice did launch on November 1, 1993, using both VideoCrypt and VideoCrypt 2 encryption intinally including Filmnet and The Adult Channel as premium channels and The Children's Channel, Discovery and CMT Europe as basic channels.[14]

[edit] Promotion

British Sky Broadcasting ran television advertisements prior to the new service launching. However in 1993, the Independent Television Commission ruled against BSkyB after ten complaints regarding a number of false claims involving some of the channels which were due to be part of the package.[15] As well as further complaints about the adverts failing to show that a one year contract needed to be taken out for any special introductory offer.[16]

To promote the Sky Multichannels package on the Astra satellites, a selection of channels were placed on Sky's preview channel on transponder 47 of Astra 1C free-to-air.[17] The preview channel compromised of promotional material in the centre of the screen and 12 channels around the edge,[18] including some English channels which were not part of the package. The channel was replaced by Sky Sports 2 on August 19, 1994.[9][19]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b BRITISH SKY BROADCASTING. The Museum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved on February 10, 2007.
  2. ^ British Sky Broadcasting Group plc. Funding Universe. Retrieved on February 10, 2007.
  3. ^ The 1990s. Key Dates. TV and Radio Bits. Retrieved on February 10, 2007.
  4. ^ Wathan, Chris. How the Sky analogue service was run down in favour of digital..... Analoguesat. Retrieved on February 10, 2007.
  5. ^ a b Groves, Don (1993-09-06). BSKYB takes sky-high gamble with pay TV. Variety. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
  6. ^ a b c Channel was formerly free-to-view
  7. ^ MTV did not encrypt at the time Sky Multichannels launched, but did so later.
  8. ^ NICK AT NITE FOR UK NOW IN DOUBT. Highbeam Research. Screen Digest (1994-03-01). Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
  9. ^ a b Profile. British Sky Broadcasting. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
  10. ^ TELE SATELLIT - Number 19. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
  11. ^ Sky Guide Issue 39. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
  12. ^ Ingram, Darren (1993-10-11). Satnews - Issue 118. M2 Communications Limited. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
  13. ^ Sky Guide - Issue 24. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
  14. ^ Sky Guide Issue 27. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
  15. ^ Ingram, Darren (1993-09-27). Satnews - Issue 117. M2 Communications Limited. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
  16. ^ Ingram, Darren (1993-11-08). Satnews - Issue 120. M2 Communications Limited. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
  17. ^ Sky Guide Issue 37. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
  18. ^ Williams, Martyn. TELE Satellit - Number 6. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
  19. ^ Williams, Martyn. TELE Satellit - number 8. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.


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