Sky agrees output deal to become the UK home of HBO

[NewsreadeR]

BSkyB (Sky) and Home Box Office (HBO) have entered into a multi-year output deal which will see Sky become the home of HBO programmes in the UK and Ireland. The agreement is part of Sky's ongoing commitment to invest in standout content that differentiates the pay-TV experience and creates more reasons for customers to subscribe.

Under the agreement, all new HBO-commissioned programmes and series will be broadcast exclusively, and in high definition, on Sky channels. The first HBO production to be seen on Sky as part of the output deal will be ‘Boardwalk Empire', the much-anticipated Prohibition-era drama from acclaimed director and Oscar® winner Martin Scorsese and ‘The Sopranos' Emmy-award winning writer Terence Winter. With a cast including Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt and Kelly Macdonald, ‘Boardwalk Empire' is scheduled to make its US debut on HBO in September 2010, with a UK and Ireland premiere on Sky to follow shortly after.

Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include ‘Game of Thrones', the fantasy drama based on the series of books ‘A Song of Ice and Fire' by George R.R. Martin, and ‘Luck', executive produced by David Milch and Michael Mann and starring two time Oscar® winner Dustin Hoffman. In addition, future seasons of existing HBO shows - such as ‘Entourage' and ‘Big Love' - will be broadcast exclusively on Sky channels in the UK and Ireland at the conclusion of their current broadcast rights agreements.

Sky will also offer access to HBO programmes through its on-demand platforms, including the soon-to-launch Sky Anytime+ service. In addition to availability of the new HBO productions airing exclusively on Sky channels, the on-demand services will offer access to HBO's library of classic shows such as ‘The Sopranos' and ‘Six Feet Under'. Sky will also have right of first negotiation with respect to all future HBO UK co-productions.

HBO has developed an outstanding reputation for critically-acclaimed original programming. Previous highlights have included ‘Band of Brothers,' ‘The Sopranos,' ‘The Wire,' ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,' and ‘Six Feet Under.' Sky recently broadcast two of HBO's most talked-about series of the year, The World War Two epic ‘The Pacific' from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks and the award-winning ‘In Treatment', which returns shortly for a second season.

Sophie Turner Laing, Sky's Managing Director, Entertainment, News & Broadcast Operations, comments: “We are committed to bringing customers the best possible choice of pay content, whether that's through original UK production or the best of the US. Like HBO, we believe that innovative, high-quality content is worth paying for. We are therefore delighted to have partnered with one of the most renowned names in television. HBO has demonstrated year after year the opportunity for pay television to push creative boundaries and create must see TV. “

Charles Schreger, HBO's President of Programming Sales, adds: “We are enormously encouraged by the ongoing success story of pay TV in the UK and Ireland and it makes sense for us strategically to find a partner who can sustain a real commitment to investing in content. We believe that Sky customers are in for a real treat with the spectacular shows currently in production such as Boardwalk Empire, as well as new seasons of established HBO favourites.”

The deal was brokered by Sky's Robert Kingston, Sarah Wright and Emma Moloney and HBO's Royce Battleman, Viv Eisenberg and Meeka Bondy.

[Isitme]

So instead of Sky buying the rights to and showing series like The Pacific we will be expected to pay for them through Box Office. Why do they always wrap up their money making schemes in language which make it look like they are doing us a favour.
Well I suppose that will leave more space on Sky 1 for Simpson repeats.

[penrhyn]

So what are they doing, putting HBO made for television programming on a premium channel at extra cost or including them on Sky 1?
Still smarting about the HD content reduction move.

[indefatigable]

If HBO is an additional channel, I will happily pay for it. HBO programming is amongst the best there is.

If only they had a specific channel for Showcase shows too, then I'd be happy.

[Isitme]

If HBO is an additional channel, I will happily pay for it.

I would agree with that, but it may be a Box Office channel with 'pay per view'. I suppose we will have to wait for further announcements.

[Alan b]

This may or may not be true but I saw a post elsewhere that said some off this programs might end up on the forthcoming Anytime+ service.

[emrobin]

So what are they doing, putting HBO made for television programming on a premium channel at extra cost or including them on Sky 1?
Still smarting about the HD content reduction move.

HBO is a premium channel in the US so it would most likely be the same here. It's not standard television programming.

[Undecided Adrian]

I doubt that there will be a new HBO channel as currently all the shows that Sky have in their advert "Drama looks better in HD" are all at risk of being axed.

So far all that Sky One have is House, Stargate and the Simpsons, more may appear if more shows get a lifeline in the US but they probably need the HBO shows to fill up the schedule big time. (also the living TV ones could be moved to Sky One as well)

Also this deal is for new shows only so True Blood etc will still stay with the channel that originally bought it.

[Alan b]

It seems as if it is not just HBO that Sky are hooking up with:

Is Sky's deal with HBO another nail in the coffin for free TV drama? | Media | The Guardian

Showtime and AMC anyone.