Stvg Regulatory News (STVG)

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1 November 2019

STV PLAYER LAUNCHES ON SKY

VOD service now universally available across all platforms in Scotland for first time

Leading VOD service, STV Player, has now launched on Sky set top boxes giving viewers access to STV content across all major TV platforms for the first time.

The launch will enable Sky customers in Scotland to catch up on their favourite STV programmes including Coronation Street and I'm A Celebrity which starts next month, as well as providing viewers with all of STV's local programming, including hit show Sean's Scotland and STV News at Six - the best watched news programme in Scotland*. Hundreds of hours of additional content from both the STV archive and new content partnerships will become available in the coming weeks.

The launch follows confirmation earlier this year of STV's five-year strategic partnership with Sky which will give Sky viewers across Scotland even better access to STV's content, whenever and wherever they want it. STV launched as the UK's first fully regionalised HD public service channel on the Sky platform earlier this year.

STV Player launched on Virgin Media in December 2018. Together, the Sky and Virgin launches effectively double STV's digital reach in Scotland.

As part of the launch STV Player will sell its own advertising inventory on the Sky platform following a partnership with ad tech provider Freewheel.

The launch will be followed by a further roll out of the STV Player to Sky Go users later this year.

Richard Williams, STV's Managing Director, Digital, said: "With this launch, STV Player is now universally available across all platforms in Scotland for the first time.

"Sky is hugely popular in Scotland and our viewers will now be able to access their favourite STV shows, like the soaps and next month's I'm a Celebrity, alongside more relevant local programming whenever they want them. The STV Player is the most popular commercial broadcast player in Scotland and we're delighted to be working in partnership with Sky to expand its reach across the country."

Jon Simkin, Managing Director, Channels and Operations, Sky said: "Sky brings together all the best entertainment in one place, so we are thrilled to be bringing our customers in Scotland access to great content via STV Player too."

*Source: BARB Jan-Oct 2019, individuals

Ends

For further information, please contact:

STV

Katie Martin

0141 300 3109

katie.martin@stv.tv 

Kirstin Stevenson

0141 300 3886

Kirstin.stevenson@stv.tv 

Sky

Harrison Kelly

+44 (0) 7817 476365

Harrison.Kelly@sky.uk 

NOTES TO EDITORS

About STV

STV is Scotland's home of news and entertainment, serving audiences with quality content on air, online and on demand.

STV's broadcast channel, accessible free-to-air on all the main TV platforms in Scotland, reaches 3.5 million viewers each month and is home to some of the biggest and most popular shows on television.

The channel's first-class content includes soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street, big drama productions, entertainment hits Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, strong home-grown productions and Scotland's best, most comprehensive and most trusted news service. Flagship news programme STV News at Six continues to grow its audience share.

The STV Player, STV's online VoD service, allows consumers in STV's broadcast licence areas to enjoy their favourite STV shows live or on demand. With over three million registered users, the STV Player is one of the fastest growing on-demand platforms in the UK. An increasing range of content has also been made available on the STV Player through a number of partnerships covering children's programming, sports, drama, documentaries and factual from eleven domestic and international content partners

The ad-free subscription version, STV Player+, offers an opportunity to watch STV programming without the adverts, download shows for offline viewing and watch abroad for the first time.

STV Productions is one of the UK's leading content businesses with ambitious plans for domestic and international growth.

The company has an impressive track-record of success across genres including drama, entertainment and factual, with commissions from a wide range of broadcasters. 

Highlights include iconic game show Catchphrase for ITV, ratings winner Antiques Road Trip for BBC One, peak-time entertainment show Sex Tape, which recently aired on Channel 4, and documentaries Ross Kemp Behind Bars - Inside Barlinnie for ITV and Scotland and the Battle for Britain for BBC Two. In drama, four-part thriller The Victim for BBC One, starring Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah, was watched by more than 7.2 million people, and STV Productions has also confirmed a second BBC commission - 90 minute drama Elizabeth is Missing which will star two time Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson in the lead role.

STV recently acquired a majority stake in award-winning unscripted producer Primal Media.

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.