Prime Rebrands as Sky Open
August 17, 2023 
7 Comments
Sky is abandoning Prime as a channel brand and renaming its free-to-air service Sky Open, which better reflects how its programming has evolved into a pay-TV sampler.
Here’s the media release:
SKY OPEN COMES TO ALL OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
Sky’s new look free-to-air channel, Sky Open, launches 23 August
Welcome to Sky Open – Sky’s new free-to-air channel that offers New Zealanders some of the best sport, local and international entertainment from the world of Sky.
Launching at 6am on Wednesday 23 August, Sky Open will replace Prime, showcasing a wide range of exciting content, including locally-produced shows from Sky Originals NZ, news, exclusive Sky Sport coverage, documentaries, and entertainment – all free-to-air.
Lauren Quaintance, Sky’s Chief Media and Data Officer, says: “Our new free-to-air channel, Sky Open, enables Sky to create a bold and distinctive channel identity, connected to our family of Sky platforms and channels.
“This new look encourages existing and new audiences to open themselves up to a world of sport and entertainment, both local and international. Sky Open is a key part of Sky’s strategy to deliver superb content to New Zealanders in ways that work for them.”
Sky Open replaces Prime and can be accessed on Sky channel 4 and Freeview channel 15, with Prime+1 changing to Sky Open+1 on Sky channel 514.
Viewers who prefer to stream or watch on demand will be able to watch Sky Open live and catch up with programmes on demand via Sky Go, for free.
The launch of Sky Open will also see a change for our longstanding news show Prime News. From Wednesday 23 August, viewers can keep up to date with all the latest stories from Eric Young on News First, at 5.30pm.
This month also sees two locally produced Sky Originals NZ productions premiere: season two of the Matthew Ridge-hosted architecture series Designing Dreams and an exciting new travel docuseries Lost in France, providing a perfect lead-in to this year’s much-anticipated Rugby World Cup.
Sky Open will be the home of Sky’s free-to-air coverage for the Rugby World Cup 2023 in September and October, broadcasting 12 games from the tournament as well as regular highlight shows. The free matches include the Opening Match (All Blacks v France) live and the Final live. (The full list of live and delayed matches is noted below.)
Later in the year, Sky Open viewers can also look forward to renowned investigative journalist Bryan Bruce’s latest documentary The Food Crisis and the second season of Pax Assadi’s award-winning comedy Raised by Refugees. Taking to the high seas again will be the second season of HBO’s New Zealand-filmed pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death.
Six live matches:
- All Blacks v France: From 6:45am, Friday 9 September
- Quarterfinal 2 (Winner Pool B v Runner-Up Pool A): From 7:30am, Sunday 15 October
- Quarterfinal 4 (Winner Pool A v Runner-Up Pool B): From 7:30am, Monday 16 October
- Semi-Final 1 (Winner QF1 v Winner QF2): From 7:30am, Saturday 21 October
- Bronze Final: From 7:30am, Saturday 28 October
- Final: From 7:30am, Sunday 29 October
Six delayed matches, 90 mins after kick-off:
- All Blacks v Namibia: From 8:30am, Saturday 16 September
- All Blacks v Italy: From 9:30am, Saturday 30 September
- All Blacks v Uruguay: From 9:30am, Friday 6 October
- Quarterfinal 1 (Winner Pool C v Runner-Up Pool D): From 5:30am, Sunday 15 October
- Quarterfinal 3 (Winner Pool D v Runner-Up Pool C): From 5:30am, Monday 16 October
- Semi-Final 2 (Winner QF3 v Winner QF4): From 9:30am, Sunday 22 October
Warning: preg_replace(): Unknown modifier '/' in /home/customer/www/screenscribe.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/headlines/includes/theme-comments.php on line 66
August 17, 2023 at 12:46 pm
I only watch TV via Apple TV so I won’t be watching 😁
This change does make the brand more in line with Sky but I’m not really feeling the name Sky Open, surely another name could of been used. Hopefully there’s some expansion in news output (wishful thinking).
Prime TV move into premium drama start of last year signals behind the motivation for the rebrand next week, as Prime was being more complete since Sky TV took the channel over in 2006 but moved towards to promotion for Sky content.
Do I remember correctly that Prime used to air one of the Australian breakfast TV shows? Would like to see them bring something like that back. Realise it wouldn’t be NZ content but the breakfast TV market desperately needs a refresh and adding an Aussie option would add a third choice.
Yes that is correct, back in the 2000’s when the Nine Network Australia brought into Prime around 2002 and began airing the Today Show up until 2008, after Sky took over ownership they ceased to carry it along with National Nine Morning News. I was sad to see it go and really enjoyed having a third option. It would of been great if they did continue to carry it but I don’t see Sky wanting pay for a service that doesn’t get many viewers.
It was the Nine Network version – Today – it was a great alternative. I think the licence fee became too expensive for Sky once they took over and Nine didn’t give it to them for free.
And Sky TV would eventually have all their Sky Sport TV programming play FTA on Prime as their replacement.