Freeview expects to win Sky converts with HD launch

UK digital-terrestrial platform Freeview expects to win a significant number of customers that churn out of BSkyB’s pay-TV service when it launches HDTV services in a month’s time.

Freeview managing director Ilse Howling told journalists at a Broadcasting Press Guild lunch that the digital-terrestrial broadcaster’s research showed that one in five Sky subscribers were likely to have access to Freeview on their main TV sets.

From next month, Freeview will air three free-to-air HD channels from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, with a fourth channel, from commercial broadcaster Five, likely to launch later.