Five to launch HD service

Five is to launch an HD channel on BSkyB this summer.

Channel Five

Five HD will start broadcasting to more than 2 million Sky+HD homes in July.

The public service broadcaster’s line-up includes US dramas such as CSI and FlashForward, soaps Neighbours and Home & Away, as well as live sports and films.

Sky offers HD programming across both free-to-air and pay television.

ITV, Sky News, Sky Sports 4 and Hallmark Channel are all set to launch HD services in the coming months and Sky aims to have 50 HD channels by Christmas.

Charles Constable, director of strategy at Five claims that its programme schedule is “more suited to HD than that any other major free-to-air commercial broadcaster given the wide range of high quality series we broadcast.”

Later this year, Sky plans to offer a broadband-enabled video-on-demand service and Sky 3D, believed to be Europe’s first 3D TV channel.

Sky plans to launch Sky 3D in pubs and clubs from April before residential homes later this year.