Sky and BT have announced a deal that will allow the rival broadcasters to sell their channels on each others' platforms.

The popularity of Game Of Thrones has helped boost broadcasting giant Sky as it posted surging revenues and customer numbers.

Sky plans to introduce a loyalty scheme to stem a rise in customer defections that, together with a jump in the cost of soccer broadcasting rights, cast a shadow over first-half results yesterday.

Sky said a twin focus on product innovation and top-class sport and entertainment would help deliver a better-than-expected rise in revenue in the year ahead after it reported 12% higher full-year profit.

WPP’s Martin Sorrell, head of the world’s largest advertising company, has raked in more £120 million (€155m) in the past six years in annual pay — but his biggest windfall is yet to come.

Sky hopes to achieve higher prices for TV packages in its core British market, following years of investments, to offer customised bundles and premium content, its chief executive said yesterday.

European pay-TV group Sky yesterday said it expects to perform strongly in its new financial year after better-than-expected profits for 2014-15 prompted investors to rethink their growth forecasts for the newly-enlarged group.

Sky said it was “in good shape” ahead of the imminent Premier League rights auction as it posted better-than-expected half-year results today and said it had signed up retail customers at the strongest pace in nine years.

A sports betting business formed in 2001 was today valued at £800m after broadcaster Sky sold a controlling stake in the operation.

BSkyB is to change its name to Sky after the pay-TV company completed the acquisition of Sky Italia and a majority interest in Sky Deutschland.

BSkyB has reported broad demand for its services after adding 760,000 new paid-for subscription products in the three months to September 30.

Broadcaster BSkyB is in talks over a deal that will expand its pay-TV empire in Europe through the acquisition of Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia.

In the year that Ireland finally exited the bailout, John Daly looks back at some of the big news stories from the business world in 2013.

Sky is to become the UK’s second-largest broadband provider after agreeing a deal today to buy rival O2’s half a million customer accounts.

Sky is to create 500 new jobs in Dublin between now and June.

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB sought to distance itself from the controversy over phone hacking at its biggest shareholder yesterday, after lawmakers suggested the ties to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp might endanger its licence.

British Sky Broadcasting Group plc said first-half operating profit rose 16%, topping analyst estimates, as Britain’s biggest pay-TV broadcaster sold more broadband products to subscribers.

Digital TV and satellite giant BSkyB is set to open a major customer contact centre in Ireland this August — resulting in an extra 800 jobs.

More than 800 jobs are being created at a new Sky customer centre in Dublin, it was announced today.

SATELLITE broadcaster BSkyB reported a 32% rise in profits, as increasing sales of telephone and broadband packages offset a slowdown in new TV subscriptions.

MEDIA tycoon Rupert Murdoch yesterday withdrew News Corporation’s £8 billion bid to take over satellite broadcaster BSkyB in a dramatic response to the “firestorm” of public and political anger over phone hacking at the News of the World.

Shares in BSkyB rallied today after Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation withdrew its bid for the satellite broadcaster, lifting uncertainty over its future.

Sky News today announced plans for its first foreign language service in a move that will see it broadcast in Arabic across the Middle East and north Africa.

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB celebrated a milestone today by reaching its target of 10 million television customers before the end of this year.

BSkyB today said operating profits rose 10% after it added 90,000 more customers during the final three months of its financial year.

The FTSE 100 Index was on the front foot today as events in the United States gave a fillip to investors after a disappointing recent run.

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB today said nearly half a million customers had signed up for high-definition TV in the past three months as it reaped the benefits of a pre-Christmas marketing push.

BSKYB has added approximately 6,000 new subscribers to its digital television customer base in Ireland during the first quarter of its financial year — the three-month period until the end of September.

Broadcaster BSkyB reported a 4% rise in annual earnings today as it said new customers were joining the firm at the fastest rate for five years.

BRITAIN’S dominant pay-TV firm BSkyB attacked media regulator Ofcom for unprecedented interference yesterday, saying it would launch legal action if forced to open its channels to rivals at a set rate.

Setanta suffered a fresh blow this morning as BT Vision suspended any further sales of Setanta Sports.

Setanta’s fate should be decided today, with time looking to have run out for the stricken broadcaster.

SKY TELEVISION chiefs revealed last night they’ve refused a £50 million lifeline to stricken Irish broadcaster Setanta.

BSkyB chiefs today confirmed they refused a £50m (€58m) lifeline to stricken broadcaster Setanta.

BSkyB today said its customer numbers topped nine million after the satellite broadcaster bucked “challenging” trading conditions.

BSkyB said today it would launch an appeal against the Government’s decision to force it to reduce its controversial 17.9% stake in ITV.

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB said today it was trading well amid signs of increased customer loyalty.

The London market held firm above the 6500 barrier today as housebuilders and miners encouraged the blue-chip index to race ahead.

Housebuilding shares continued their rebound today as traders eyed value in the sector after yesterday’s quarter point cut in interest rates.

Electrical retailer Dixons delivered an 11% rise in annual profits today following strong performances from its Currys and PC World chains.