BSkyB to repeat its hit shows on fast expanding Freeview

BSkyB is to venture further into free-to-air television by launching a new general entertainment channel on the Freeview platform.

The company yesterday insisted that it remained focused on pay-television. However, some analysts believe that the company has become increasingly concerned about the runaway growth of Freeview.

Sky aims to have 10 million subscribers in 2010, but the consultants Spectrum Strategy has forecast that more households will be plugged into Freeview by then.

The Government has said that the analogue television signal will be switched off by 2012, forcing all consumers to adopt some form of digital TV.

Sky's chief executive, James Murdoch, criticised the Government's plans last week, arguing that forcing households to take digital was against the principles of free choice.

The new station, Sky Three, which will also be available on Sky's own platform, will offer a schedule that showcases programming from the Sky One library as well as original lifestyle commissions and travel documentaries. On Freeview it will replace the slot the company already has for its Sky Travel channel. Sky News is also already available on Freeview, as is Sky Sports News.

Early highlights of the Sky Three schedule will include the first screening on free-to-air television of season three of the award-winning US drama 24. Also transferring to Sky Three after runs on Sky One - the general entertainment channel on the core subscription service- will be the crime drama Cold Case and hypnotist Paul McKenna's personal transformation series I Can Change Your Life.

Sky has pay television subscribers in more than 7.8 million homes, with Freeview reaching an estimated 5.2 million households. Unlike Sky's service, Freeview does not require a subscription and offers about 30 free-to-air channels. Consumers simply need to make a one-off purchase of a decoder box, which costs about £50.

By being on Freeview, Sky gets a presence in new types of homes, where it is able to give potential customers a "taster" for the full service and heavily promote content available only to subscribers.

Freeview is being seen as an increasingly attractive collection of channels. Channel 4 recently put its E4 entertainment station on to Freeview, which also carries ABC1, the American general entertainment station.