Second Sky Rebranding In Nine Months

Sky is to rename its movie channels for the second time in nine months (see Sky Channels To Be Rebranded) in an attempt to improve ‘audience satisfaction’.

Sky’s general manager, Elizabeth Murdoch, said today: “After extensive customer research we have concluded that we can further improve our service by creating differentiated channels that have a clear personality. This will enable our consumers to locate the type of movie that they want more easily and will allow us to provide for every customer a service that is built just for them.”

Recent figures indicate that Sky’s movie channels have suffered a significant loss in viewing share in cable and satellite homes over the last five years. Sky Movies Screen 1 has dropped to 1.6% in June 1998, compared with 5.1% in April 1993, according to BARB figures.

Source: BARB

Although the changes have been called ‘redefinitions rather than renaming’ by a company spokesperson, the name alterations are to replace the existing channels: Sky Movies Screen 1 becomes Sky Moviemax; Sky Movies Screen 2 becomes Sky Premier, and Sky Movies Gold will be called Sky Cinema. The changes become effective in September.

Barry Norman has moved from the BBC to Sky, and will be the face and voice of Premier. A popular and well respected film critic in his own right, this move signifies Sky’s determination to give its movie services a sense of identity and may help to bolster the channel’s ailing viewing figures. Richard Jobson will fill a similar role for the Moviemax channel.

Sky MultiScreen on Sky Digital (see Sky Rolls Out Digital Service Anticipating Increased Summer Customer Demand) also heralds a further 11 new services, providing a choice of 5 different films each hour. However, it remains to be seen whether these ‘redefinitions’ and the rebranding of the movie channels will have more positive effects than the last relaunch.

Sky Movies Publicity: 0171 705 3200