News Broadcasting
BSkyB puts squeeze on pay TV viewers with five per cent price rise
LONDON: BSkyB, the satellite television group, is set to put through its fourth successive inflation-busting price rise to customers. The increase – more than many analysts had predicted – may be seen as provocative by regulators at the European Commission.
Brussels is investigating the ?1bn that Sky has paid to renew its exclusive rights to screen English Premier League football. The Commission has suggested that the high cost of the deal may be harmful to consumers, who must subscribe to Sky to watch the games.
Sky has told customers that most will see a price rise of more than five per cent from next January. The cost of Sky World, the package taken by more than half the subscribers, will rise from ?38 to ?40 a month. The basic “family pack” will increase from ?18.50 to ?19.50 a month.
Previous years have seen most packages go up by no more than a ?1 a month. This time, some packages will rise by ?4.50 a month. Kingsley Wilson, an analyst at Investec Securities, said, “In the analogue era BSkyB was adept at increasing package prices by well above inflation up until 1998. During the switch over from analogue to digital, when BSkyB was vulnerable to customer churn (people leaving the service), the package increase policy was put on hold. With the majority of the base digital by January 2001 BSkyB resumed its pricing strategy.”
The company has seven million subscribers, giving it a dominant position in the pay television market. Far from losing customers, the previous price increases have seen the churn rate fall. It now stands at a world-beating 9.4 per cent.
Wilson said the company could raise prices because it also improved its content each year. “What they do is actually give the customer hell of a lot more… for instance 102 Champions League games. On the rise, that just 2p a game,” he said. Investec yesterday increases its forecast pre-tax profits by three per cent for this financial year (2003-4) to ?511m and by four per cent for the next fiscal year.
The broker added that, unlike previous price rises from which some subscribers were exempt, the increase this time would be across the board. Wilson said, “Price rises set for January 2004 further demonstrate BSkyB’s ability to monetise its position not only on the revenue side, but increasingly on the cost front. We envisage no impact on churn.”
A spokesman for Sky said, “We continue to make very significant investments, providing new programmes, new services and new channels.” He said that, for the financial year ended June 2003, Sky had raised its spending on content by 11 per cent to ?1.6bn. The new football deal was an added programming cost.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
