BBC First joins Sky New Zealand in BBC Studios deal

Sky New Zealand and BBC Studios have inked a new multi-year deal, with the drama-focused channel BBC First to launch on the pay TV operator.

Source: BBC Studios

BBC First will be available to Sky customers in New Zealand from October 2024. The channel is home to some of the UK biggest dramas, premiering new titles and the latest seasons of audience favourites, says BBC Studios.

Programming will be shown across Sky Box, Sky Pod, along with selected content on streaming service Neon and free-to-air channel Sky Open.

BBC First joins BBC UKTV, BBC Earth, BBC News, CBeebies which are already part of Sky New Zealand’s channel lineup.

BBC Studios ANZ GM, Fiona Lang, said: “We are delighted to grow our longstanding partnership with Sky. New Zealand audiences have proven to have a huge appetite for British shows, and we’re pleased to be able to partner with Sky to offer their customers more of what they want – the full suite of the best of the BBC from kids to entertainment, news, documentaries and drama.”

Sky New Zealand’s chief executive, Sophie Moloney, said: “I’m delighted Sky customers will enjoy an expanded array of world-class content through our renewed partnership with BBC Studios. We value what our customers value, and with UKTV being Sky’s number one entertainment channel with consistently high and growing viewership, we’re confident in the value this represents for customers. The renewed partnership also offers exclusive access to premium British drama on BBC First, which is a hugely exciting development. Importantly, these rights extend across our portfolio of entertainment products meaning our customers can enjoy great British content in whatever way they choose, while also enabling Sky to maximise the value of this content through subscription and advertising revenue streams.”