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BSkyB chief executive James Murdoch has ruled out launching the long-mooted "Channel 6" terrestrial rival to ITV, Channel 4 and Channel Five and will instead concentrate on increasing the number of paying subscribers to its existing channels.
Under his predecessor, Tony Ball, BSkyB frequently hinted that once the number of subscribers to free-to-air digital service Freeview reached a critical mass it would push the button on a mass market entertainment channel funded through advertising that could take on ITV and other terrestrial rivals.
It had been suggested that BSkyB was aiming to do this in 2007, by which time it is predicted it will be generating up to £1bn in cash flow, making it one of the richest broadcasters in the UK.
This threshold, some executives said last year, could be around 5 million and Freeview has already passed the 3 million homes barrier. Other options discussed included buying Five or converting flagship entertainment channel Sky One into a free-to-air channel.
BSkyB has set a target of 8 million subscribers, each paying an average of £400 a year, by the end of next year. But Mr Murdoch, son of BSkyB and News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch, believes there is still plenty of room for growth beyond that target.
Under his predecessor, Tony Ball, BSkyB frequently hinted that once the number of subscribers to free-to-air digital service Freeview reached a critical mass it would push the button on a mass market entertainment channel funded through advertising that could take on ITV and other terrestrial rivals.
It had been suggested that BSkyB was aiming to do this in 2007, by which time it is predicted it will be generating up to £1bn in cash flow, making it one of the richest broadcasters in the UK.
This threshold, some executives said last year, could be around 5 million and Freeview has already passed the 3 million homes barrier. Other options discussed included buying Five or converting flagship entertainment channel Sky One into a free-to-air channel.
BSkyB has set a target of 8 million subscribers, each paying an average of £400 a year, by the end of next year. But Mr Murdoch, son of BSkyB and News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch, believes there is still plenty of room for growth beyond that target.
