Sky Ventures Sky Ventures manages BSkyB's interest in a number of joint venture channels and services. The portfolio comprises of Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Paramount Comedy Channel, National Geographic Channel, The History Channel, Granada Plus, Granada Breeze, Granada Men and Motors, Music Choice Europe, QVC, MUTV and Sky News Australia. Sky Ventures also has responsibility for two BSkyB wholly owned channels - [.tv] and Sky Travel. Sky Ventures' Channel Portfolio Sky Ventures' primary focus is to maximise the asset value of the portfolio by establishing profitable niche channels and services as well as identifying new joint venture oppertunities which fulfil our financial and strategic criteria. Sky Ventures is interested in strong consumer brands which excel in their specific genre. BSkyB is widely acknowledged to offer invaluable resources as a shareholder. Advertising sales, cable distribution management, programming, marketing and operational expertise - as well as market research and management suppport at the board level - are all drawn upon for our ventures. All existing joint ventures have made a successful transition to the digital environment and are currently focused on how best to fully embrace all that the digital world has to offer. Over the next 12 months expect to see an investment in expanded hours, timeshifted services and new channels as well as compelling enhanced programming applications, interactive services and a strong online and e-commerce presence across a number of our ventures.   A degree of consolidation occurred across the portfolio last year with the closure of Sky Soap and the sale of our 30% interest in Playboy TV. Our priorities over the coming year will be to further strengthen the position of our existing joint ventures within their respective genres; to support them in their original programming initiatives; to strengthen and broaden their distribution base; to firmly establish each venture's presence within the digital environment and to increase awareness within the industry of the Sky Ventures portfolio of assets.