Sky's Branding

R18? You sure?

They used to use official BBFC ratings IIRC. There's a promo on TV Ark from Sky Movies' infancy where they promoted their alliance with the BBFC.

http://hub.tv-ark.org.uk/images/skytv/sky_images/skymovies/skymovies_bbfc_promo89.jpg

But by the looks of it, that was gone by the early 90s... (3m22s)

BBFC ratings are not legally binding for cinema releases, any local authority can overrule a rating if they see fit, for showing in cinemas in their jurisdiction.
BBFC ratings are binding for video/DVD releases.

R18 films cannot be shown on television at all as they contain "extreme images of sexual activity" and this kind of explicit footage is banned for broadcast.

The only BBFC certificates that can be shown on TV in the UK are E (Excempt), Uc (Unicersal - suitable mainly for children), U (suitable for all), PG (parental guidance is advised), 12 (suitable for those over this age), 12A (suitable for those over this age unless accompanied by an adult - usually re-rated for TV as a 15). 15/18 (suitable for those over this age).

The Irish Film Classifcation Board also has a near-identical system.

12A is a cinema only certificate and gets re-rated as 12 for DVD and TV, not 15.

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about that - I remember the argument over Spiderman now.

I wonder if it's simply a matter of avoiding some sort of licence cost. Or could it be to avoid having to get a film re-rated if edits are made?

A higher res version of the Real Lives logo appeared in my inbox from Sky.



Referring to it as 'new' is slightly disingenuous but oh well.

Have the Sky channels changed presentation?

The billboards and Sky News suggested a new 'sliding panels' theme.

The channels are still using the same break bumpers. Is this the sliding panel theme you are referring too? If so it was introduced in September 2013 when Sky Living was rebranded.

(Image from The Ident Gallery

Sky Sport Italia has adopted the red and blue colour scheme of Sky Sports,

http://sport.sky.it/sport/

Article on the changes for next season (in Italian):

http://www.primaonline.it/2015/07/02/207668/sky-sport-presenta-i-suoi-palinsesti-per-la-stagione-2015-2016-alex-del-piero-e-leonardo-new-entry-tra-i-cronisti-con-i-canali-juve-tv-e-roma-tv-inclusi-in-chiaro-nellabbonamento/?utm_content=buffer39fe8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I wonder if the other Italian Sky channels will fall into line with their UK counterparts too then? Sky Uno already has the same colour scheme as Sky 1. But Sky Atlantic, Cinema, and TG24 don't match our Atlantic, Movies and News.

That explains why only Sky Sport 24 Italian has the new logo.