Sky News has reached a multi-year deal with one of the most influential US news networks, which will see it pay for use of its cross-platform coverage.
The channel’s live broadcasts, TV packages and online journalism are to be used by MSNBC as part of a commercial agreement, the details of which were not disclosed.
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All Sky News’ British and foreign TV coverage is included in the agreement, which will begin on 1 October, further bringing the reporting to a US audience.
MSNBC will have no role in the commissioning of Sky coverage, and no MSNBC programming will be taken by Sky News, as part of the arrangement.
MSNBC is building up its operations ahead of its planned spin-off from NBC News and parent company Comcast.
The new, separated entity will be named Versant and be a public company with shares traded on a stock exchange.
Comcast is also the parent company of Sky News. Sky’s relationship with its sister news organisation NBC will be unaffected by the deal.
More than 500 journalists work for Sky News from 11 bureaus, including Moscow, Beijing, Jerusalem, and Johannesburg.
MSNBC is a major cable news network, watched by an average of 1.2 million viewers a day, so far this year, with its average viewer watching for more than eight hours a week.
Its YouTube and TikTok channels have more than 6.2 billion views combined so far this year.
“In this moment of consequential and historic news events happening around the world that are rapidly reshaping our collective future, we are honoured to bring Sky News’ premium, on-the-ground reporting and roster of top journalists to the MSNBC community,” said MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler.
