Sky News

Don't think so. It's on an SD transponder.



All the Sky HD channels are on DVB-S2 transponders. I believe Sky News HD is testing on 12382H, labelled 9020.

I guess the question I was asking is why would Sky go to the trouble of adding a placeholder to the audio description list? Doesn't seem worth it as the channel will never be viewable......or will it?

Could they launch a +1 for election night?

I live literally around the corner from 4 Millbank, where the Westminster studios are located, and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when I walk past I always see his pink BMW 5 series (used to be a Rolls...) with the 'B4RBIE' number plate.

Completely surreal!

What rules are there about in programme promotion for products and services? This weekend alone on Sky News I've noticed:

- A screen with full details about the Haye boxing match on Sky Box Office and how to subscribe.
- Details on Sky 3D in pubs and screencaps of the website to find your nearest participating local.
- "Live now on Sky Sports 1 HD" style captions during sports news. (I appreciate they've been doing this for a while now, but still)

Am I watching Sky News or News about Sky? The undue prominence which any story remotely related to Sky receives is getting beyond a joke. But blatent plugs for an event they are covering on a pay per view service during a news broadcast takes it one step further and one too far IMO.

I hate to sound negative but it's because I care about Sky News that it angers me to see it being misused in this way.

Just to be absolutely clear, I obviously have no problem whatsoever with these things being advertised during the commercial breaks. It's the fact they are doing it within the programmes themselves which I have a problem with.

Not too bad, Mark Longhurst on Sunrise, presumably Steve Dixon on Live at Five and Gillian Joseph on the evening shift (1900 - 0000).

The guy you're talking about is Matt Smith, he's officially entertainment correspondant, but is also the main relief presenter for SkyNews.com, and he occasionally presents the weekend daytime bulletins and weekend Live at Five (I think he's also done News at Ten once or twice).

See Section 10 of the Broadcasting Code: Commercial References and Other Matters (and possibly also covered by the Cross-promotion code.)
I'd seen the plugs for Sky 3D and the Box Office event on Friday too and thought it was pushing things a bit too far. Given that it was on the News/Sport/Weather strand, it would be repeated pretty frequently through the day, and seemed more like advertising than news.
If you're concerned, you could always contact Ofcom and let them decide - and if appropriate, slap some wrists.

I've seen Matt Smith presenting Saturday Live a couple of times when Chris Roberts wasn't around too.

Just seen a trailer for new film "The Ghost" and Anna Botting pops up as a newsreader on the TV in the background.

I know Jeremy has been in a few films, but I think that might be a first for Anna.

And Jayne Secker filled in at lunchtime as usual for Lorna


He is often on News at 10, and the evening NSW. Occasionally Live Desk too. Think last Saturday was his first time on Live at 5. Personally I don't like him and tend to watch something else whenever he is on

I can't quite believe they put Matt on Live at Five to be honest. Nothing against the chap but the hierarchy that Sky normally follow seems to have been lost.

I do think the more experienced anchors need to be on during the most watched slots - and Live at Five is undoubtedly one of those.

My understanding was that since Matt is Sky's entertainment correspondent, he is just being used as relief in the newsroom at the moment along with Sarah Hughes due to some notable absences in both Tamsin Roberts and Lorna Dunkley, unlike Jayne Secker who has made a permanent switch. Perhaps I was wrong in that assumption and we'll be seeing a lot more of him, who knows?

What happened to Tamsin? Is she on maternity leave too?

That's right. I think she disappeared before Lorna so we should probably expect her back fairly soon.