Plans for a sports channel showing footage from the BBC's archives are back on, according to this week's Broadcast.

The channel was orginally due to launch in March, but plans were suspended last month amid NTL's heightened financial situation. NTL's content division Premium TV, which holds exclusive rights to the Corporation's sports archives, is now back in talks to launch a scaled-down version, however, which could go on air as soon as the Summer.

The station, with the working title 'Classic Sports', will combine archive programming with Premium TV's live rights to basketball and hockey fixtures.

Meanwhile, ESPN, which is planning to launch its classic sports channel in the UK, is understood to be in talks with Premium TV with a view to acquiring some of the BBC's sports content.