Sky announce changes to Sky Arts
Sky have announced that they will be making changes to their Sky Arts output from June.
The arts programming is to launch a comprehensive ‘Sky Arts on Demand’ service which the company say is to reflect more the way customers want to consume TV content. The service promises to provide a broad range of genres in the arts, with over 1000 hours of dedicated arts programming, as well as introducing exclusive new on demand only content, commissioned or acquired especially for the service.
Another major change to compliment the on demand offering is a move up the electronic programme guide (EPG), in order to make Sky Arts 1 more prominent, and easier to find. This change will see the channel rebranded as Sky Arts with Sky Arts 2 ceasing to transmit. The consolidation of Sky Arts 1 and Sky Arts 2 into a single ‘super channel’ will see an overall programming budget increase of 10%.
“At Sky we believe the arts are for everyone. We know that a lot of our content appeals to genre enthusiasts, and the feedback from our customers tells us that they want to find the stuff they love in one place. With that in mind, we have looked at our offering to make sure customers can more easily find the content they are passionate about. With our new on demand service alongside what we think is the strongest line-up of programmes yet, we think the new look Sky Arts will genuinely offer something for everyone.” – Philip Edgar-Jones, Director, Sky Arts
Alongside the changes to Sky Arts service, the channel will unveil its most ambitious programming line-up to date the broadcaster announced today. The line will showcase a brand new ‘sex season’ with Edith Bowman, The BalletBoyz and The Chapman Brothers; new dramas from Stephen Mangan, Idris Elba and Rhys Ifans; comedy with Kim Cattrall, Frank Skinnerand Vic Reeves; and a new strand, Hot Tickets which will offer customers front row seats to the nation’s best arts performances, including the best in ballet, theatre and classical concerts, as well as the quest to find the UK and Ireland’s best guitarist in Guitar Star.
“The move signals the further evolution of Sky Arts following almost a decade of investment in the arts in UK and Ireland both on and off-screen as the only dedicated arts channels in the UK and as one of the longest standing corporate supporters of the arts. It follows Sky Arts’ most recent initiative Sky Arts Amplify, which encourages arts organisations and production companies to pitch collaboratively for up to £1million annually on new TV ideas, as part of a broader investment in the UK and Ireland’s creative industries. Sky Arts currently reaches over 5 million customers monthly.” – Sky Arts
Sky Arts’ dedicated on demand area, and the move to channel 121 will take place on 9th June 2015.