NTL inks long-term carriage deal with Telewest

NTL is extending its relationship with Telewest by picking up all 27 digital TV channels from its Flextech Television and UKTV divisions.

Digital TV customers will receive the 17 channels already carried and an additional 10 channels including the new UKTV Style Gardens channel, due to launch on NTL later this year, and LivingTV2, by 2006. Distribution of flagship channels LivingTV and UKTV Gold will also be extended.

The news comes after NTL unveiled its annual results last week, stating that it would be putting more channels into its cheapest TV package in order to compete better with rivals BSkyB and Freeview. Chief exec Simon Duffy said that the basic pack of 45 channels would grow to 60 by June and 70 by September.

As of March 31 this year, NTL had 2m cable TV customers. Telewest has 1.8m. The two cable players continue to be the subject of intense merger speculation with a deal believed to be on the cards this year.

Telewest owns 100% of Flextech, which runs LivingTV, Challenge, Bravo and Trouble, as well as UKTV, a joint venture with BBC Worldwide. Last week the company revealed it was acquiring shopping channel operator Sit-Up Ltd.

Jon James, director of commercial & operations at Flextech, said: “We’re delighted to extend our deal with NTL to carry the full range of UKTV and Flextech channels, and to bring more NTL customers two of the UK’s most successful channels in Livingtv and UKTV Gold.”