Several channels have moved over to Freesat lately-
Discovery have moved more of theirs,
UKTV have moved more of theirs
Premier Sports just launched
Freesports on Freesat, & they have some not insignificant sports rights - that's quite something
Going free instead of behind Sky's paywall means you are in
more homes & go from a little fish inside sky's channels to a bigger fish on Freesat & advertising revenue jumps.
All the above independent broadcasters must see it as viable
Sky's not subsidising the channels that would probably be on Freesat now-
Sky customers are lol, they just don't know it & still have the ad breaks..
That one's like one of Del Boy's deals -
"see rod-nee- we get them to pay froo the nose for sky, den rod-nee - we use some of their own dosh to bribe the channels they wudav got for free wot some of dem just want anyway ... c u s h t e e! "*
(* only wiv an ozzy accent of course ) .