Digital TV News

Sky set to buy Virgin TV channels

Friday 28 May, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Broadcasting giant Sky is ‘close to signing a deal’ with Virgin Media to buy its TV channels, including Living, Bravo and Challenge, according to reports.

Sky (www.sky.co.uk), the UK’s largest satellite TV provider, is set to take over ownership of Virgin Media’s portfolio of TV channels, said the Guardian earlier this week.

Cable TV provider Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) currently owns the popular channels Virgin1, Living, Bravo and Challenge, however a deal reported to be worth between £150million and £160million, is being agreed with Sky, and the broadcasting giant may own the channels as soon as next week.

Sky declined to comment on the deal, but a source told the Guardian: “We are absolutely steaming ahead, and it should be done, if not by the end of this week, then next week.”

As part of the deal, Virgin Media is expected to negotiate a long-term carriage deal with Sky, to ensure that it can still broadcast the channels Bravo and Living, which shows the popular Britain’s Next Top Model series.

The move could spell the end of Virgin1 however, which is home to hit US sitcom Chuck.