Virgin Media’s dispute with Sky over the carriage of its basic channels has focused on the flagship channels of Sky One and Sky News. However, there are other Sky branded channels that were not offered even before the current dispute erupted, and these include Sky Three and Sky Arts (the recently rebranded Artsworld). Sky Three was originally introduced by Sky on the Freeview platform. It screens recent programmes from Sky One, together with some elements of Sky Travel, and Sky News.
Sky Travel, Sky Travel Extra and Sky Two are subject to regional availability on the Virgin Media network. Sky Three is only listed by Virgin as a channel in the context of one that Sky is preparing to remove. It does not appear on Virgin’s online channel listing or on the EPG of our cable monitor.
A spokesman for BSkyB confirmed to Broadband TV News that Sky Arts and Sky Three as, as well as some HD services, were channels that would like to offer Virgin Customers, should an agreement be possible. (JC)
