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Sky Television grew out of Satellite Television UK (SATV), one of the earliest satellite television channels, set up by Brian Hayes, formerly controller of Thames Television. It broadcast a mixture of cheap Dutch-made programming (mainly from John de Mol Productions, which under their modern name Endemol Entertainment, made Big Brother for C4) and U.S. repeats from the OTS-2 Orbital Test Satellite to a pan-European audience. In 1985 News International acquired 80% of the company and renamed it Sky Television plc. The channel became widely available in Ireland in 1987. In 1989, Sky moved to Astra and expanded from one to four channels. In 1991 the company merged with British Satellite Broadcasting. See the Sky Digital page for more backround info on Sky and its digital platform.

SKY ONE, which began as Satellite Television in 1982, originally broadcast US repeats and cheap Dutch-made programmes to a pan-European audience. In 1985 the channel changed its name to Sky Channel. In 1989 the channel was relaunched into the basic format it takes today. It now concentrated on first run US drama, comedy, and science fiction programming. The name changed to Sky One in early 1990. In 1998, Sky One began making more of its own programmes, mainly trashy Uncovered-style programmes. This Autumn more home produced programmes than ever will appear on the channel, and it will take its first Irish advertising too. It remains the single most popular non-terrestrial channel in the UK & Ireland.

SKY NEWS began in 1989. It aimed to be the UK/European version of CNN, and provided a new third force in British news, competition to the BBC and ITN for the first time. The channels format has remained constant since then, with the main set remaining pretty static all that time. Several of the original presenters still remain. Recently it has faced pressuire from new 24 hour channels from the BBC and ITN, and NTL UK dropped the channel, meaning it lost its 100% multichannel penetration. Despite this it remains the original and best.

SKY MOVIES began as a single channel in 1989. It was the only Sky channel to be encrypted from the word go (almost-the encryption software and decoders arrived late, so Movies was in the clear for a while!). In 1991 the BSB acquistion meant it acquired a sister channel, The Movie Channel. A third channel, this time speciallising in classic movies, Sky Movies Gold, began in 1992. Things remained pretty much the same until 1997. At first confusion reigned, with the channels being rebranded Screen One and Screen Two in November 1997. Then in just a few months - summer 1998 - the channels were rebranded for the digital age. Sky Premier was to mean the best in quality film, Sky Moviemax the top Hollywood action blockbusters. Sky Cinema continues the tradition of Sky Movies Gold. Each contains sub-screens on Sky Digital, giving you a choice of 12 movies.

SKY SPORTS began in 1990 as The Sports Channel on BSB. After the merger it was renamed Sky Sports. The channel went encrypted in 1992 thanks to the Premier League deal, and increasing exclusive rights by Sky led to two more Sky Sports channels (Sports 2 and 3). Digital means interactive sports, with live action on Sky Sports Extra and news on SkySports.com TV (original Sports News), bringing the total to five.

SKY TRAVEL is Sky's part-time Travel channel.

SKY BOX OFFICE is Sky's pay per-view service.