[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Oh massive exclusivity all 24 hrs of it.

Looks like it's not going to be a 24 hour early preview channel:

"OK it works like this

This channel will show selected programmes for about one hour in the evening around 2100, but usually only on Wednesdays. It is also on tonight at 2000.

The service will only be on air once or twice a week.

Everyone who has been with Sky on the same account CONTINUOUSLY for 3 years or more will get this automatically.

Customers who qualify for this are now regarded as "VIP" and accounts will be flagged accordingly and dealt with by a different team in CS.

The official launch of this new arrangement is 3 August 2017. This channel is a replacement for channel 889, "Sky Insider" which has already been doing the same thing for Sky staff for many years. Channel 889 is due to close soon but no date is known for this.

Hope that will clarify the situation."

Indications are that it will indeed be used as a retention tool:

Originally Posted by gs1;c-87152491

Churn (cancellations) have steadily increased from 9.8% in the quarter ending 30/9/15, to 11.6% in the quarter ending 31/12/16 to "stable" (figure not reported) in the quarter ending 31/3/17 (Source: Sky Corporate website).

In early 2016 Sky tried to restrict discounts, and they estimated that it caused 10,000 additional cancellations in a quarter.

Programming costs have escalated, largely because of Premier League rights, and they're facing stronger competition from competitors. Analysts expect Sky to report a significant drop in annual profits when they disclose their results for the year ended 30/6/17 on Thursday (27/7/17).

The loyalty scheme, changes to Sky Sports, and lack of "headline" price changes to tv, are all indications that the trading environment is harder for Sky than it's been for some time.

---------- Post added at 14:23 ---------- Previous post was at 14:15 ----------

Originally Posted by Media Boy

No comment.

Indeed