BSkyB to offer a daily fee for sports

Sky, Britain’s dominant pay-TV group which provides fixed-line telephony, TV and broadband to 10.7 million households, has adapted its strategy during the economic downturn after years of chasing new subscribers to its core TV offering.

The group added 25,000 subscribers to its pay-TV service in the three months to the end of December, well down on the more than 100,000 users it used to routinely add each quarter.

In response, it has focused on selling more products such as high definition TV and broadband to existing customers, and moving online to reach those not willing to sign up to a monthly contract.

Chief executive Jeremy Darroch said the group would offer its sports channels on its new online service called Now TV in the next few months.

Viewers, who do not need to sign up to a contract, will be able to pay £9.99 to watch all six Sky Sports channels for 24 hours.