Granada Television is to launch eight television channels next year in a
new joint initiative with Sky.
The two broadcasters have formed a joint company, Granada Sky
Broadcasting, and the new channels will be a part of Sky’s multi-channel
package.
The niche channels will draw on the extensive programming libraries of
Granada TV and its sister station, LWT, as well as new programming using
the company’s production facilities.
The main new channel, Granada Gold Plus, will offer a range of classic
programming and specially made, hosted shows to pull the schedule
together. Classic programmes include library editions of Coronation
Street, Jeeves and Wooster, Please Sir and The Charmer. Granada has
stressed that ITV will continue to be the first outlet for its new
flagship series.
Other new channels include Health and Beauty, Granada TV Shopping Guide,
Home and Garden, Food and Wine, Granada Good Life, and Granada Men and
Motoring. Granada and Sky are also working on a channel that will cover
detective series.
All of the channels will be transmitted from the Astra satellites,
although negotiations for transponder space have yet to be completed.
The channels will be sold by a 30-strong sales team currently being put
together by Granada’s sales house, Laser Sales. Mick Desmond, the chief
executive of Laser, said that he hoped to have a sales director in place
by January. The new team will be housed alongside Laser and although it
will be a separate, dedicated team, it will share a number of resources
with Laser, such as research and marketing.
Granada has an aggregate holding of around 10 per cent in BSkyB and the
two companies have been working closely together since Granada’s chief
executive, Gerry Robinson, took on the role of chairman of BSkyB’s board
of directors.
Granada will ultimately have a 60 per cent stake in the new company,
with Sky taking 40 per cent.
