BSkyB Gives Stuart Murphy Enlarged Channel Portfolio

LONDON – U.K. satcaster BSkyB is pushing Stuart Murphy, Sky’s current director of its flagship channel Sky 1 HD and director of commissioning, further into the limelight by making him director, Sky Entertainment channels.

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Murphy, in his widened portfolio role with News Corp.’s British affiliate, will be tasked with steering strategy for a portfolio of channels including Sky Atlantic HD, Sky Arts HD and Sky Living HD as well as Sky 1 HD.

Sky Atlantic HD is currently home to HBO shows including Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones.

The current directors of each channel will report to Murphy who will continue to report to Sophie Turner Laing, managing director of entertainment, news and broadcast operations, alongside Sky Movies, Sky News, Sky Creative, Broadcast Operations and Network Planning.

Murphy and his team is tasked with bringing exclusive content to his portfolio of channels and he will play a big part in deciding where Sky’s commitment to increase investment in home-grown programming to £600 million ($975 million) by 2014 will go.

Upcoming original British content includes David Attenborough’s 3D documentary Kingdom of Plants, and upcoming drama and comedy such as Sinbad, Starlings, Hit and Miss and Playhouse Presents.

“Over the past three years, under Stuart’s leadership, we have seen Sky 1 become a true destination channel, offering our customers some of the finest drama, comedy and entertainment programs on television at the moment,” said Turner Laing.