Sky Channels fully 16:9

They could do what ABC1 do - and air the ads in 16:9 but the programmes in 4:3!

Some programmes will always be 4:3 on that channel, though why they're picking up 4:3 versions of stuff that was originally HDTV/widescreen is anybody's guess.

Spy Sports News just needs some alterations to the graphics and can easily fill a widescreen picture up with all the stuff that sits on it in 4:3. Maybe do a Sky News and shift non critical stuff outside the safe area.

They could quite easily do it by having a 4:3 picture on the right and use the right quarter for info. Forget about making it 4:3 safe - just force the image into widescreen, as other wise you'll have big chunks of empty graphics!

Sooner or later channels will have to start making use of the full widescreen picture, but I don't think the time is now - look at the complaints Sky News got for thier animating website address.

It would make sense to put less important info to the side of the screen, like number of games played in the league tables, but because of the differences in overscan you'll get people complaining about seeing half a number. I think they should still go 16:9 though, like Score interactive.

I think it's quite common for idents to be made in 16:9 these days, even if there's no immediate plan to broadcast them in widescreen. I know even back as far as the late 90s, the UKTV idents (split-screen effect ones) were all made in 16:9.