Sky’s Programmme Guide is Not Fit For Purpose

[Nardini+N]

According to the Sky Sports Programme Guide, England are not playing any football this weekend. Are they really in such a sulk about Channel 4 taking these games? It seems petty and unhelpful. The same goes for Sky on-screen guides generally: they just aren't as helpful as they should be. Am I the only one thinking that the time may be right for a regulated, independent programme guide that's optimised for all viewers and channels on merit - and not just Sky and the broadcasters that pay Sky to promote their programmes?

[nolte]

Ofcom already regulate the epg for sky and other epg providers

What is the sky service you are looking at? Where on the sky service is it that is not showing the match?

[Mark39]

@Nardini+N it's hard to get hold of what your gripe is. If you're expecting Sky to advertise fixtures on competitor channels where they don't have to, that's unrealistic.

[caesarome]

Both the EPG and the onlie account here show the game for me:

https://www.sky.com/tv-guide/20230326/4101-1/104/E655-3766

[TimmyBGood]

@Nardini+N 

I think you're mixing up the EPG (which is regulated) and the Sky GUI (which is not).  The EPG list of channels with timeslots carries the complete channel content listing, including football on Channel 4, as one would expect and as Ofcom requires.  The wider Sky user interface on Sky hardware devices and online applications is however their own private commercial property to do with as they see fit.

[Doc5907]

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@Nardini+N wrote:

According to the Sky Sports Programme Guide, England are not playing any football this weekend. Are they really in such a sulk about Channel 4 taking these games? It seems petty and unhelpful. The same goes for Sky on-screen guides generally: they just aren't as helpful as they should be. Am I the only one thinking that the time may be right for a regulated, independent programme guide that's optimised for all viewers and channels on merit - and not just Sky and the broadcasters that pay Sky to promote their programmes?

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The sky sports programme guide shows dedicated sports channels of which channel 4 is not and the fact that that ch4 is showing the England game does not mean ch4 should appear on the sports guide.

Many different channels show one off sports events which don't appear on the sports guide, so why should ch4.

[Nardini+N]

When I look at any guide to upcoming major sports events on my Sky home screen I expect to see a guide to the biggest sports events on television. I find the arbitrary (and somewhat petty) random exclusion of major events presented by some other sports broadcasters to be irritating and unhelpful.  Why the BBC and not C4? Or Apple? Why BT, which is Sky's principal competitor? It's bad enough that sports fans now have to subscribe across multiple platforms in order to watch their favourite games. Neither of the England games were flagged on the 'Sports' home page. NB the guide section is labelled 'Sports', not 'Sky Sports' or 'Sky & BT Sports'. So it should be comprehensive and generic - in my view.

[SKY1992bf]

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@Nardini+N wrote:

When I look at any guide to upcoming major sports events on my Sky home screen I expect to see a guide to the biggest sports events on television. I find the arbitrary (and somewhat petty) random exclusion of major events presented by some other sports broadcasters to be irritating and unhelpful.  Why the BBC and not C4? Or Apple? Why BT, which is Sky's principal competitor? It's bad enough that sports fans now have to subscribe across multiple platforms in order to watch their favourite games. Neither of the England games were flagged on the 'Sports' home page. NB the guide section is labelled 'Sports', not 'Sky Sports' or 'Sky & BT Sports'. So it should be comprehensive and generic - in my view.

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@Nardini+N  each section of the epg list channels within that genre not programming 

channel 4 is not a sports channel it's an entertainment channel showing occasional sports programming and is therefore correctly in the entertainment section 

[Mark39]

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@Nardini+N wrote:

When I look at any guide to upcoming major sports events on my Sky home screen I expect to see a guide to the biggest sports events on television. 

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Your expectations are unrealistic, for the reasons already given.

[xenon81]

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@SKY1992bf wrote:

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@Nardini+N wrote:

When I look at any guide to upcoming major sports events on my Sky home screen I expect to see a guide to the biggest sports events on television. I find the arbitrary (and somewhat petty) random exclusion of major events presented by some other sports broadcasters to be irritating and unhelpful.  Why the BBC and not C4? Or Apple? Why BT, which is Sky's principal competitor? It's bad enough that sports fans now have to subscribe across multiple platforms in order to watch their favourite games. Neither of the England games were flagged on the 'Sports' home page. NB the guide section is labelled 'Sports', not 'Sky Sports' or 'Sky & BT Sports'. So it should be comprehensive and generic - in my view.

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@Nardini+N  each section of the epg list channels within that genre not programming 

channel 4 is not a sports channel it's an entertainment channel showing occasional sports programming and is therefore correctly in the entertainment section 

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I think they're referring to the Sports sction of Sky Q not the TV Guide Sports section (eg. on the homepage, scroll down past recordings, catch-up, on-demand etc to Sports) But I usually find this quite good and  have seen it include live sports which is on other non Sky/BT channels. 

[oj01]

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@xenon81 wrote:

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@SKY1992bf wrote:

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@Nardini+N wrote:

When I look at any guide to upcoming major sports events on my Sky home screen I expect to see a guide to the biggest sports events on television. I find the arbitrary (and somewhat petty) random exclusion of major events presented by some other sports broadcasters to be irritating and unhelpful.  Why the BBC and not C4? Or Apple? Why BT, which is Sky's principal competitor? It's bad enough that sports fans now have to subscribe across multiple platforms in order to watch their favourite games. Neither of the England games were flagged on the 'Sports' home page. NB the guide section is labelled 'Sports', not 'Sky Sports' or 'Sky & BT Sports'. So it should be comprehensive and generic - in my view.

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@Nardini+N  each section of the epg list channels within that genre not programming 

channel 4 is not a sports channel it's an entertainment channel showing occasional sports programming and is therefore correctly in the entertainment section 

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I think they're referring to the Sports sction of Sky Q not the TV Guide Sports section (eg. on the homepage, scroll down past recordings, catch-up, on-demand etc to Sports) But I usually find this quite good and  have seen it include live sports which is on other non Sky/BT channels. 

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@xenon81 Yes, I was thinking the same. Just checked on my Sky+HD box which has a Sports Tile. Several items that aren't Sky Sports or BT, including an item on S4C. I'd imagine that the host broadcaster has the responsibility to flag a program as 'Sport', maybe this is why the England game isn't appearing. 

[xenon81 · Accepted solution]

I've looked through the Live Sport section and the England game tomorrow on Channel 4 is listed, but it does not appear in the Live Football section. Seems that Channel 4 have flagged it as live sport but not specifically football. 

[Doc5907]

In possible conclusion, it always amazes me what people get so worked up and angry about... and it's always the underhand, nefarious Sky's fault.. 🙄

[TimmyBGood]

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@Nardini+N wrote:

When I look at any guide to upcoming major sports events on my Sky home screen I expect to see a guide to the biggest sports events on television. 

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Sky is not a public service with a requirement (outside the EPG) to provide equal access: it is a private commercial company (now a division of a US corporate giant) with the simple goal of remaining financially viable.  How it chooses to promote its own subscription services over other content (again, outside the regulated channel listing) is literally its own business.

[Nardini+N]

I'm not in a state of any kind. Just mildly irritated and looking for an improvement to an otherwise marvellous offering. I've been a Sky customer for 23 years.  They offer a brilliant service and their customer support is superb.