SKY Italia subscribers down 39,000 in 1Q10

NEW YORK, NY — News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) today reported financial results for the third quarter ended March 31, 2010.

Direct Broadcast Satellite Television

SKY Italia reported third quarter segment operating income of $35 million, a decrease of $28 million from the $63 million operating income reported a year ago. Local currency revenue declined by 3% as a result of lower subscription revenue compared with the prior year quarter. Overall costs, in local currency, were flat as higher sports programming costs related to the Olympics were offset by lower basic programming costs and subscriber related costs.

The quarter end subscriber base of 4.7 million declined 39,000 from the previous quarter end, as gross subscriber additions of 118,000 in the quarter were more than offset by existing subscriber cancellations. SKY Italia had a decrease of approximately 101,000 subscribers over the past twelve month period.

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