Digital TV News

Watch the 2010 general election in high-definition

Friday 30 April, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Want to watch all the action of election night in high-definition? Sky subscribers will be able to watch Decision Time on Sky News HD on 6 May.

Satellite TV giant Sky (www.sky.co.uk) will launch a high-definition version of its award-winning news channel on Thursday 6 May at 9pm, to coincide with the channel’s election night show Decision Time.

Sky News HD will be broadcast on Sky channel 517, and will be aired alongside Sky News’ existing standard definition channel on 501.

John Ryley, head of Sky News, said: “We’ve made the news ourselves in 2010 by launching the first UK news service in HD with sharper pictures and enhanced services for HD viewers.”

The new channel will have high-definition picture quality and use a widescreen format to show more detail about the key stories of the day.

Ryley added: “It’s an innovation which clearly defines Sky’s strengths, our passion and our restless pursuit to be first and to be the best. The detail of Sky News HD is stunning - I hope our viewers will enjoy the new experience.”

On election night next week, Sky News HD will air the Decision Time programme from 9pm, presented by Kay Burley, Jeremy Thomson and Anna Botting. The launch of the new HD channel follows Sky’s successful high-definition broadcast last week of the Sky News Debate with Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg.

After the coverage ends however, viewers will have to wait until 10 May to watch day-to-day news in high-definition.

Jon Ingram, operations director at Digitalchoices.co.uk, said: “Election night promises to be an exciting event, and for the first time ever, voters will be able to see all the action with a crystal clear picture. As the 42nd channel to join Sky’s ever-growing HD line-up, I’m eager to find out what’s next.”