Sky reveals important update on missing new channels that were supposed to arrive on TVs last week

SKY has issued an update on new channels that failed to appear on TVs last week as planned.

The broadcaster intended to added five channels at no extra cost to fill a big gap in one major TV category.

Music content has been dwindling this year following the closure of The Box, Kiss, Kerrang, Magic and 4Music.

Owner Channel 4 decided to axe the group as part of cost cutting measures and a greater focus on digital.

This resulted in a noticeable reduction in music channels on all TV services like Sky and Virgin Media.

But it was most apparent on Sky Glass and Sky Stream, the newer internet-based TV platform from Sky.

The firm has gradually been growing the channel categories to match most available on satellite, though it lacks some music channels.

Since the summer when The Box and others were closed, it has left only four music channels on Sky Glass and Sky Stream – all operated by MTV.

To the relief of music fans, Sky announced that five channels would be coming to fill the void.

These are NOW 70s, NOW 80s, NOW ROCK and NOW XMAS and Clubland TV.

NOW XMAS is usually NOW 90s and 00s but it rebrands over the Christmas period – NOW 90s and 00s will return in the new year.

The channels were scheduled to launch on Sky Glass and Sky Stream on Wednesday last week.

But to the surprise of viewers, the extra channels never showed up.

Sky later revealed on its online forum that a technical issue had caused a delay.

The broadcaster hasn’t given an exact date when they now expect the channels to launch.

However, Sky has told The Sun that the five channels are still due to launch before the end of the year.

This might mean customers will be able to get some time with the Christmas channel before December 25.

For the time being, MTV is running its own Xmas music channel on number 352.

THE DEMISE OF MUSIC CHANNELS

Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun

Music channels were once the be all and end all for teens in the 90s and 00s, before the days of YouTube and Spotify.

You could even call up and pay to request a video – and end up waiting forever for it to appear.

But in the digital age with everything available immediately, music video channels have become somewhat old fashioned and so audience numbers have tumbled.

So it’s no surprise that The Box and co had to close.

However, there is obviously still some appetite with the NOW brand seizing the closures as an opportunity to expanding, launching a new NOW 90s and 00s channel over the summer.