STV, Sky sign five-year strategic partnership
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Editor
| 07 January 2019

Scottish commercial broadcaster STV has announced a five-year strategic partnership with Sky to give the pay-TV firm’s customers access to its regional variants in full HD, as well as its leading VOD service - STV Player - on their set top boxes for the first time.

The new partnership enhances an existing relationship between the two broadcasters, with STV Player already available on Sky’s NOW TV. Additionally, the deal will support future functionality, including cloud recording and restart, and IP delivery.

It means that Sky customers in STV's broadcast licence areas will be able to catch up on programmes including Coronation Street and Britain’s Got Talent and classic shows from the STV archives on Sky Q and Sky+ set top boxes, as well as mobile devices via streaming and offline viewing. Access to the The STV Player will be made available in the second half of 2019.

Also as part of the deal, all four STV regions will launch in HD to create the first fully regionalised PSB HD service on Sky, giving Sky customers across Scotland access to regional STV programming including STV News at Six. The new HD variants are expected to launch in the first half of 2019.

“We’re delighted to be strengthening our partnership with Sky, which will give Sky viewers across Scotland even better access to STV’s hit shows whenever and wherever they want them,” commented STV CEO Simon Pitts.

Added Stephen van Rooyen, Sky UK & Ireland CEO: “This partnership with STV will bring even more great content to Sky customers across Scotland, as well as enabling us to collaborate and launch the first fully regionalised HD service from a public service broadcaster.”