In a recent statement, Sky CEO Dana Strong expressed optimism about the company’s ability to retain HBO content in the UK when its deal with Warner Bros. Discovery comes up for renewal in 2026. Strong highlighted Sky’s success in representing popular shows like “Succession” and “Game of Thrones” in the UK, stating that the company has handled these shows “extremely well.” She also emphasized that Sky’s relationships with external partners have demonstrated the value of working with the company. According to Strong, collaboration between parties leads to better outcomes in the market, giving her confidence that they will be able to navigate the HBO renewal successfully.
Aside from HBO content, Strong also touched on the topic of Sky’s German unit, Sky Deutschland. She seemingly ruled out a sale of the German unit and pointed to the recent appointment of Barny Mills as the new CEO as evidence of their commitment to the German market. Strong sees great potential for streaming in Germany and believes there is a lot to be gained from investing in the German market.
In a presentation, Strong shared research conducted by Sky which indicated that there is a growing international demand for British TV shows, expected to increase by 50% over the next decade. This, in turn, presents a significant opportunity for the UK media and entertainment sector, with the potential for it to be worth an additional £10 billion ($12.3 billion) by 2033. This growth could also lead to the creation of 40,000 more British jobs.
However, Sky has called for some policy changes to support this growth. They suggested performing regular benchmarking of the UK’s TV tax credits to ensure that the country remains competitive with other territories. Additionally, Strong advocated for broadening research and development (R&D) tax credits to encompass “creative endeavors.” Sky’s research revealed that a significant amount of the company’s technology resources are currently being dedicated to regulatory requirements, resulting in a substantial cost to the business.
Overall, Dana Strong remains optimistic about the future of Sky’s UK arm and its ability to retain valuable content partnerships beyond 2026. She believes in the potential for growth in the UK media and entertainment sector and emphasizes the importance of supportive policies to unlock that potential.
