Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand’s free-to-air Prime channel will now be available in high definition through Freeview.
The broadcaster’s Prime streaming channel will also be accessible through Freeview for the first time. New Zealand’s Freeview offering comprises 34 on-air channels, 13 streaming channels and on-demand platform.
Until now, only Sky and Vodafone TV customers have been able to watch Prime in HD.
The addition of Prime HD on Freeview will provide subscribers with greater access to a range of sports and entertainment properties in high definition.
Sky New Zealand chief executive Martin Stewart said: “Prime acts as a window into Sky, providing a great selection of some of our premium sport and entertainment content.
“It’s our hub for free-to-air sport. Through Prime the whole country can access key sporting moments such as the upcoming Dream 11 Super Smash, Black Caps, Super Rugby and Sky Sport Breakers games.”
Prime will also be available in HD via UHF transmission, Sky said.
Sky recently opted to sign a sublicensing deal with public-service broadcaster TVNZ for free-to-air coverage of the 2020 summer Olympic Games, rather than distribute the event via its Prime channel. The move marks a change in strategy for Sky, which utilised Prime for free-to-air coverage of the Rio 2016 Games.
Sky has signed a flurry of rights deals recently, securing agreements with the domestic National Basketball League, Commonwealth Games, Netball New Zealand, New Zealand Rugby and the International Cricket Council.