This weekend (11-13th Feb 2011), Sky will be offering a free weekend pass to Freeview, BT Vision and Top Up TV customers.
Sky will be broadcasting a showcase of some of their key programmes on the Sky 3 channel, which is free-to-air on Freeview channel 11.
On Friday the 11th, shows broadcast will include Karl Pilkington’s An Idiot Abroad, as well as Cougar Town and Got To Dance. Sky will also show the first episode of their new drama Mad Dogs.
On Saturday the 12th,there’s spy thriller Body of Lies (for fans of Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe), and footy fans will be able to watch Soccer AM and Gillette Soccer Saturday, two shows normally available on subscription only.
Lastly, the lineup for Sunday the 13th will include a double bill of the gangsters, corruption and booze-fest that is Boardwalk Empire. This series has recently premiered on Sky Atlantic (the new HBO channel launched at the start of the month)
Clearly, the free-pass weekend is offering a good collection of Sky’s premium content in an attempt to convert Freeview viewers over to the world of pay TV. Regardless of your feelings for Sky and subscription TV, set your recorders to Sky 3 from Friday to get a taste of what’s behind the Sky TV paywall.
In the event you’re tempted to sign up to Sky by this weekend’s freebie shows, note that Sky’s running some decent online offers at the moment, including a free Sky+ box, inclusive broadband and either a £25 or a £50 Marks and Spencer voucher (for a limited time) – See the Sky Offers page for the details, or go to www.sky.com/shop/tv.
Nice freebie from Sky, or cynical ploy to tempt customers to part with £19.50 a month? Have your say below!
As an aside: note that Sky 3 will be renamed to Pick TV at the end of February 2011
What an unappealing mish-mash of sub-standard tatt! Do they really expect me to buy premium channels after watching that lot?? Now if they really want to suck me in perhaps they should show the Manchester derby match.
They must be getting desperate, especially as FREESAT’s channel lineup continues to grow (CH4HD added from April).
Sorry $ky – you won’t be getting any of my hard earned cash, thanks!
Yep, me too. I’m very happy with Freesat.
The line up for me looks dull. I would not be watching Free or Not.
Sky would have to really pull there finger out to win me over.
Sky can do as many free pass weekends as they like it still wouldn’t convince me to become a sky subscriber they need to address the issue of getting rid of channel one (virgin1) first…
Not a chance in hell i’d waste my time or money with the attitudes of Rupert Murdoch’s companies. I even cancelled my Sky Subs out of my own personal crusade. I don’t even miss it and I have more money for the better things in life.
I agree with some of the other comments I still feel though that Soccer Saturday and Sky Sports news SHOULD NOT OF COME OFF FREEVIEW AND AT SOME POINT COME BACK VIEWERS SHOULD BE THE WINNER IN ANY BATTLE BETWEEN OFCOM AND SKY
Right ok so sky had the free weekend didn’t go much on that boardwalk empire rubbish and as for that mad dogs total shite watched all four eps was waiting for something to happen dunno what it is with sky the spend so much money on advertising programmes that aren’t even worth watching so glad im not a sky customer…
Well a sky rep just knocked on my door offering me everything i have with virgin for half price with sky ha i dont think so i wouldn’t have sky even if it was free not a chance…