Sky continues to lead the way in digital TV, putting viewers in control. Sky+ sales have grown during the year and feedback from Sky+ customers since it first launched in 2001 has been outstanding. The Group is constantly working to ensure that Sky offers the best TV experience available anywhere.       

Sky+ performance

Sales increase
Since July 2003, Sky has increased the number of Sky+ sales to 397,000. Over 90% of customers rate their satisfaction with Sky+ between 8 and 10 (on a scale of 1 to 10).

Advertising campaign
In October 2003, Sky launched the heavyweight ‘Create your own TV channel’ marketing campaign aimed at both existing Sky digital customers and non-subscribers. The campaign’s creative concept used a series of well-known celebrity “odd couples”: Alice Cooper and Ronnie Corbett; Bruce Forsyth and Kelly Brook; Simon Callow and Noddy Holder; and most recently, Mike Reid and David Hasselhoff.

Sky continued to enhance the service offered to all Sky+ customers. In December 2003 the most significant upgrade yet was made to all Sky+ boxes, adding the ability to record two channels simultaneously, whilst watching another previously recorded programme at the same time. This download was automatically delivered to all Sky+ boxes free of charge. Sky+ continued to attract a wide variety of positive reviews and comments from the press. It was ranked number one in both The Guardian’s and The Independent’s guides to gadgets for 2003.

More interactivity for Sky digital viewers

Sky One Active
Sky One has continued to enhance its most popular shows, such as ‘Dream Team’, ‘24’, ‘Double or Nothing’, ‘Battlestar Galactica’, ‘Stargate’ and ‘There’s Something About Miriam’, with engaging interactive services. In addition to voting, games and quizzes, viewers could interact with the third series of the hit drama, ‘24’.

By pressing the red button, fans of the show could access exclusive highlights, character profiles, research files and an essential episode guide at the touch of a button.

Sky Sports Active
In September 2003, Sky Sports launched a ground-breaking interactive service for the UEFA Champions League, giving viewers the chance to choose from up to eight simultaneous live matches.

Sky Vegas Live
Sky launched its first live interactive entertainment and gambling channel, Sky Vegas Live, in March 2004. Broadcasting daily from 6.00pm to 2.00am, the channel is hosted by a team of presenters from a state-of-the-art virtual studio and features live programming, including the interactive Super Keno draw based on the fixed-odds numbers game made famous in Las Vegas. Players can play for a chance to win the £1 million jackpot on Super Keno 15.

Sky Gamestar
A new-look Sky Gamestar service was unveiled in December 2003, with an eight-screen interactive video menu, faster load times and improved navigation in addition to a range of new games.

Launch of Liveplay on Gamestar
In June 2004, the new Liveplay service launched on Sky Gamestar, enabling digital satellite viewers to play games such as Battleships and Connect 4 against people in other digital satellite households in real time.

Launch of the National Lottery on Sky Active
Sky Active users can now buy their Lotto tickets without leaving the sofa via the new National Lottery Service, that launched in April 2004. Players can buy up to eight weeks’ worth of tickets in advance, and no longer have to worry about losing their ticket or forgetting to check their numbers, as tickets will be stored securely. If they win, the service will inform them the next time that they sign in.