[Satellite News 06-11-09] On the heels of an agreement with Microsoft, BSkyB will look for further deals to bring its Sky Player to the TV, Griff Parry, BSkyB’s director of video-on-demand told Satellite News
    “We are always interested in exploring the opportunities presented by platforms that can support a quality Sky product securely. Where we think those opportunities might exists we will naturally look to embrace them to offer consumers more choice and flexibility in how they access Sky. We see Sky Player as a service which has the potential to allow us to connect to a number of devices. However, for the time being, we are focused on the successful introduction of Sky Player on Xbox.”
    The May deal with Microsoft will make BSkyB’s Sky Player service available in the United Kingdom and Ireland through the Xbox video game console. The Sky Player service currently comprises around 18 live channels and 24 on-demand channels, although there is some overlap. However, the content available to subscribers is likely to get ramped up here. “There are over 30 channels brands on there now, but you can expect it that to grow, and over time it will increasingly resemble what is on the set-top box as we play to our strengths as a aggregator of content,” said Parry.
    Maxime Baudry, a satellite analyst at Idate, believes there could be a sizable audience for BSkyB to tap into. “BSkyB is a major player in the field of pay-TV. The agreement with Microsoft allows them to target a new audience. We estimate that there are currently around 4.5 million Xbox 360s in the United Kingdom. This represents a substantial market target for BSkyB.”
    Making Sky Player available through the TV as well as the PC is a significant move for BSkyB but may be more significant deal Microsoft than BSkyB, said Jonathan Doran, a principle analyst at Ovum. “Ultimately, I think it’s more of a landmark for Xbox as it helps grow its online content portfolio and brings both live and premium TV to the platform for the first time,” he said.
    Parry, however, says the deal has equal significance for both partners. “I think it is significant to both parties but for different reasons. With respect to Xbox, they are excited about it because they are positioning their device as a broader entertainment experience rather than just about gaming. The addition of live pay-TV is a world first. From a Sky perspective, it is significant because we are delivering the Sky TV experience to a device that which harnesses a new distribution platform. It not entirely new as we have it done it with the PC, and we have extended to a more television-orientated device,” he said.
    It is further evidence, if any was needed, that Sky wants to bring its content to a wide array of devices as possible. “You are seeing a move towards platform agnosticism. Where we can deliver a quality Sky TV experience securely, we will, as this has the potential to extend our addressable market and this represents a real commercial opportunity. We believe this multi-platform strategy in terms of giving additional options to our customers,” said Parry.
    Parry also see a new era for video games console providers. “We have high hopes for the performance of Sky Player. The role that the Xbox is playing seems to be evolving. It is interested as they are not just gaming devices any more. What is interesting is how far they will go along that now. We see this as a symbiotic thing and use this to improve the overall Sky TV experience. I think the interesting thing about Xbox is that they have a large installed base of Internet connected devices already.”