[WillPS]

This service, in all its various branding incarnations, has always been dual-purpose.

Firstly, to advertise to and attempt to “convert” FTA viewers into paying Sky customers.

Secondly, to make a bit of FTA advertising revenue off the service at the same time, using largely “low value” content that they already have rights to and, due to age or otherwise, has limited “premium value” behind the paywall on their other channels. This way, they avoid the service being a total loss-leader while achieving objective one, and also crucially don’t erode the appeal of or cannibalise their pay TV offering.

The only thing that’s changed over the years has been the brand positioning as the market has moved and they’ve decided whether it’s been beneficial to associate with the Sky name or not. This new association with Sky branding perhaps indicates a slight change in approach as they may now be pushing the envelope a bit more into premium territory to show off their range of programming more to FTA viewers, basically to more aggressively market Sky Stream, but the thinking in terms of overall strategy is no different to the bargain basement era of Pick.

There was also the third purpose in the Sky Travel/early Sky Three era, of selling package holidays...