Blackberry to sponsor Sky Atlantic

Mobile phone manufacturer Blackberry has reportedly agreed a deal with Sky to sponsor content on new entertainment channel Sky Atlantic.

According to Marketing magazine, Blackberry will be the sole sponsor of content on Sky Atlantic, in a similar deal to Panasonic's arrangement with Sky Movies Premiere. The agreement was brokered by BlackBerry's media agency Starcom MediaVest Group.

On February 1, Sky Atlantic will become available in standard and high definition exclusively to Sky's 10m subscribers in the UK and Ireland, offering hit US shows such as Boardwalk Empire, Treme and Blue Bloods.

As part of a major reshuffle of Sky's electronic programme guide, Sky Atlantic will launch at channel 108, forming a new entertainment trio with Sky1 (position 106) and Sky Living (107), formerly the Living channel.

Sky Atlantic will also utilise a new HD bouquet swap system developed by Sky, which switches SD channels with HD in Sky+ HD households. This means that anyone clicking on Sky Atlantic at channel 108 will automatically get the HD version.