News Broadcasting
Sky’s revenues rise to ?1,511m in 2002
LONDON: Sky Digital subscriptions will touch its yearend target of 7 million, as per the latest results announced by the company.
By the end of December 2002, the number of subscribers to the service stood at 6,562,000, coming from a total increase of 244,000 in the quarter, says a digitalsky report. The company’s total revenue for the period was ?1,511 million, composed mainly by a strong ?1,112 million total from Sky Digital revenues.
Sky CEO Tony Ball was quoted as saying: “Double digit revenue growth combined with tight control of costs has resulted in strong margin expansion driving significant and rapidly growing free cash flow. We are well on track to hit all of our targets and we look forward to the rest of the year with confidence.”
The report states that the percentage of the subscribers taking the top tier ‘Sky World’ package rose impressively to 55 per cent.
Takers of the ‘Extra Digibox’ offer were up over 50 per cent, an increase of 42,000 to 117,000, whilst Sky+ subscribers rose 27,000 to 65,000.
At 9.4 per cent, the proportion of subscribers leaving the service, over the six month period ended 31 December 2002 was the lowest since the launch of Sky Digital in 1998.
The crucial ARPU figure for the quarter, measuring the average total a subscriber will spend on the service in a year, was reported as ?351, a ?3 rise on the previous quarter, says the digital sky report.
Interactive revenues showed signs of stagnation, despite the higher number of subscribers. The total interactive revenues, composed from both Sky Active revenues and betting revenues, held still at ?91 million. Whilst Sky Active revenues were up to ?48m, they were met with a balancing decline in betting revenues to ?43m.
News Broadcasting
News18 India to air Sabse Bada Dangal on 4 May counting day
Channel promises fastest results, live trends and analysis across five states.
MUMBAI: Ballots will do the talking and screens will do the shouting. As counting day approaches for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, News18 India is gearing up for an all-day broadcast of its flagship election show, Sabse Bada Dangal, on 4 May from 6 am onwards. The Hindi news channel plans to deliver continuous, real-time updates as votes are tallied, combining live counting data with on-ground reporting and studio analysis. With political fortunes set to shift through the day, the coverage will track every swing, surge and surprise as trends turn into results.
The broadcast will feature a mix of senior political leaders, analysts and experts, offering instant reactions and decoding the evolving electoral picture. Expect heated debates, quick takes and detailed breakdowns as the numbers settle across all five states.
For News18 India, counting day has long been a high-visibility moment. The network is banking on its reporting reach, editorial bandwidth and technology-driven coverage to stay ahead in what is often a fiercely competitive news cycle.
With multiple battlegrounds and shifting narratives, the day promises both drama and data in equal measure. And if all goes to plan, Sabse Bada Dangal will once again turn the counting of votes into prime-time spectacle.
