Sky boss Dana Strong: Why Sky and ITV are the best way to keep British television free

Viewing has changed beyond recognition in 20 years. We’ve seen the arrival of YouTube, the launch of Netflix as a streaming service, we’ve seen Amazon enter sports and entertainment, and Apple build an entertainment service.

These changes are transforming how we watch TV. They also put pressure on our public service broadcasters, including the BBC, ITV, and Channels 4 and 5.

To be a successful broadcaster, it’s not enough to create brilliant programming any more. 

We must invest in great TV and make long-term investment in technology to deliver it.

Competition for advertising revenue is intense. This has changed the economics of commercial broadcasting.

To maintain the ITV we know and love something has to change. 

To maintain the ITV we know and love something has to change, says Sky's boss Dana Strong

That’s why we want to bring Sky and ITV together to form a stronger media business, able to invest and renew for the future. 

Together, Sky and ITV will back British TV. 

We will have the scale, reach and resources to keep investing, boosting the UK’s creative industries and supporting thousands of jobs. 

And we’ll invest in technology to deliver the services that viewers expect.

At Sky, we admire ITV and will protect what makes it special. Our commitments about what will happen if the deal goes ahead are:

- ITV will remain free-to-air;

- Its public service broadcasting commitments will continue, in full;

- ITV News will stay distinct

Our five-year, £2.1 billion content agreement with ITV Studios, which will become a separate, standalone business, means favourites like Coronation Street and Emmerdale are here to stay. 

And we won’t just protect ITV. We’ll make it even better. We will improve the ITVX experience with Sky’s technology, creating a streaming champion for the UK with the scale to compete with the streaming giants.

We will keep investing in brilliant British TV, supporting independent British producers, writers, actors and production teams.

We look forward to working with regulators and government and will continue to make the case for our plan to protect great British TV, keep ITV free and back the UK’s creative sector.

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