BBC and Sky agree new content and technology partnership

• Full BBC iPlayer experience to be available on Sky 
• BBC to use Sky’s PromoSmart technology to engage viewers

Sky and the BBC have agreed a new partnership that will see the two broadcasters collaborate across content and technology.

Content collaboration

As part of the wide-ranging partnership, the BBC iPlayer app and connected red-button service will today launch on Sky Q, Sky’s next generation TV platform, offering Sky customers the full BBC iPlayer and red-button experience.

Sky viewers have long been able to enjoy BBC content on-demand via an integrated catch-up service across Sky+ and Sky Q. This new collaboration will enable Sky customers to watch BBC programmes via the BBC iPlayer app, by pressing the red button when watching a BBC channel, or through Sky’s integrated catch-up service.

Sky customers will also have easier access to BBC children’s content with popular shows from CBBC and CBeebies including The Dumping Ground, The Worst Witch and Topsy & Tim, set to be available as box-set series across the Kids section of Sky Q, including within the Kids Safe Mode which was launched by Sky earlier this year.

The broadcasters are also exploring a range of other partnership opportunities, including the availability of BBC Sounds on Sky and NOW TV platforms, to offer even more to Sky customers and licence fee payers, as well as committing to BBC content being available on Sky’s future TV platform.

Innovating for viewers

The BBC and Sky are also in early stage exploration to use PromoSmart, powered by AdSmart Sky’s targeting technology, to serve up more personalised promotional content to BBC viewers. In practice, this will mean that viewers in different households could be shown different trailers for BBC content that are more relevant to their interests during the breaks between programmes when watching BBC channels live.

Stephen van Rooyen, CEO UK & Ireland, Sky, said: “We are pleased to be working with the BBC on such a broad-ranging partnership – it is a great example of how UK broadcasters can work together for the benefit of viewers and the industry. We are continuing to explore, together with the BBC, how it could use Sky’s innovative technology to help it better connect with licence-fee payers for the long term.“

Bob Shennan, Group Managing Director, BBC, said: “We’re thrilled that viewers who watch our programmes on Sky will now be able to enjoy the full BBC iPlayer experience, and to access our full red-button service. BBC iPlayer is a fantastic way to watch the incredible breadth of programmes the BBC offers, including fantastic full series, terrific archive content, brilliant new dramas like His Dark Materials, landmark natural history programmes like Seven Worlds, One Planet and hilarious comedies like Motherland. We’re also very much looking forward to experimenting with PromoSmart in the future. This agreement shows how the BBC and Sky can work together to give audiences the very best experience and support a strong UK media industry, and we look forward to continuing this relationship.”

Notes:

Full list of additional CBBC and CBeebies shows available on Sky Kids section of Sky Q as part of this partnership:

• The Dumping Ground - Boxset - S1-7 120 Episodes, CBBC
• So Awkward – Boxset - S1-5  64 Eps, CBBC
• The Worst Witch – Boxset - S1-3 – 39 Eps, CBBC
• Topsy & Tim – Catch-up - S1 16 Eps, CBeebies
• The Baby Club – Catch-up - S1 5 Eps, CBeebies
• Maddies Do You Know - Catch-up -  S3  5 Eps, CBeebies

About Sky

With 24 million customers across seven countries, Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. Our 31,000 employees help connect our customers with the very best of Sports, News, the arts and to our own local, original content. Following the success of Sky originals like Chernobyl, Patrick Melrose, Das Boot and Gomorrah we launched Sky Studios and now plan to more than double our investment in original drama and comedy over the next five years.

Our technology allows customers to watch what they want, when they want, how they want, and as we connect millions of families to content they love, it is our responsibility to do it safely – that’s why we offer services like Sky Broadband Buddy and the Sky Kids app. And our online streaming service, NOW TV, brings viewers all the enjoyment of Sky with the flexibility of a contract-free service.

We also believe that a company of our scale has a responsibility that goes beyond our business, and into the community. Our Sky Ocean Rescue campaign has reached millions across Europe, we’re on track to be free of single-use plastic by 2020, we’re investing £25million over five years in ocean-saving tech and we’re a proud employer – recognised by The Times and Stonewall for our approach to inclusivity.

About the BBC

The BBC is the world’s leading public service broadcaster.

We’re impartial and independent, and every day we create distinctive, world-class programmes and content which inform, educate and entertain millions of people in the UK and around the world.

We do this across:
A portfolio of television services, including the UK’s most-watched channel BBC One, the pioneering online-only youth service BBC Three, and our multi award-winning channels for children, as well as national and regional television programmes and services across England. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Ten UK-wide radio networks, providing the best live music broadcasting in the UK, as well as speech radio which informs, educates and entertains. We also have two national radio services each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and 39 local radio stations across England and the Channel Islands, providing an invaluable and unique service to listeners across the UK
Our digital services including BBC News, Sport, Weather CBBC and CBeebies, iPlayer and BBC Sounds, BBC Red Button and our vast archive
BBC World Service television, radio and online on more than 40 languages

Established by a Royal Charter, the BBC is principally funded through the licence fee paid by UK households. Our role is to fulfil our mission and promote our Public Purposes.
Our commercial operations including BBC Studios, the BBC’s award-winning production company and world-class distributor, provide additional revenue for investment in new programming and services for UK audiences.

The BBC’s Board ensures that we deliver our mission and public purposes which are set out in the Charter. The Executive Committee is responsible for day-to-day management. We are regulated by Ofcom.