BSkyB is to pull Sky Sports News from Freeview in a bid to drive subscription revenues, ending eight years of free-to-air broadcasting of the channel.
The satellite broadcaster, which launched Sky Sports News on Freeview in 2002 alongside Sky News and Sky Travel, is to replace the channel with a one-hour timeshifted Sky 3+1 service later this year.
The decision on Sky Sports News marks a significant shift in BSkyB's attitude to the benefits of using the reach of the free-to-air service as a marketing channel to attract subscribers to its pay-TV service.
Despite the Sky Sports News service benefiting from ad revenues on the Freeview platform, it is thought that BSkyB has decided that over the long term there is more advantage to be had from a subscription-only model.
As part of the move, BSkyB is to boost editorial investment in Sky Sports News as it prepares to launch a high-definition service. When the service is removed from digital terrestrial service Freeview, it will be available on subscription services Sky, Virgin Media and Talk Talk TV.
"As part of a subscription service, customers can look forward to expanded coverage and the launch of Europe's first HD sports news service," said Barney Francis, the managing director of Sky Sports.
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