Sophie Turner Laing Awarded Inaugural MIPTV Médaille d’Honneur

Sophie Turner Laing, Sky’s Managing Director for Content, was last night honoured by MIPTV, the annual international market for TV and online content, for her outstanding contribution to the global television business.

She was one of six international television executives to be awarded the first-ever Médaille d’Honneur awards at a Gala dinner to mark MIPTV’s 50th anniversary.

Commenting on the awards, Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division, said: “With the inaugural MIPTV 2013 Médaille d’Honneur, we’re delighted to honour six great industry personalities, highly recognised in their respective countries and by the international community, who have through their talent, leadership and passion, played a significant role in the global television industry.”

Under Sophie Turner Laing’s leadership, Sky has developed its entertainment offering with the introduction of new channels Sky Atlantic and Sky Living alongside Sky Arts and Sky 1. The company has also made a substantial commitment to original British programmes to complement its position as the home of the best of the US. By 2014, Sky is committed to spend £600 million a year on British content and production, an increase of 50% over three years. Earlier this week, the growing strength of Sky’s content was recognised with a record number of nominations for the BAFTA Television Awards, including nominations for original commissions Hunderby, Welcome to the Places of My Life with Alan Partridge and A League of Their Own.

Sophie Turner Laing was appointed Managing Director, Content in March 2007. She joined Sky in March 2003 as Director of Movies from the BBC, where she held a number of senior roles including Acting Director of Television. Sophie began her television career at Henson International Television, setting up HIT Entertainment with Peter Orton in 1989 and later moving to Flextech. She is a non-executive director of Debenhams plc, and a trustee of BAFTA, The Media Trust and the National Film & TV School.

About Sky
Sky is the UK and Ireland’s leading home entertainment and communications company. Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.

Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.3 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News. Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes. More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator. Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.

Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi. NOW TV, Sky’s second consumer brand, builds on the company’s leadership in internet TV. Sky is also the UK’s fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play’ provider of TV, broadband and home phone.

Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts. Sky employs 23,000 people, has annual revenues of £6.8 billion and is estimated to support a £5.4 billion contribution to UK GDP. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY). www.sky.com/corporate