Hello, I'm sorry to post such a trivial question but while visiting the UK I enjoy watching Sky News. For an upcoming trip my family and I are considering renting a flat with cable tv. Is Sky News channel carried on basic cable? Past experiences in hotels with satellite tv did not have Sky, just the 4 basic channels, CNN and several European channels. One of the flats in consideration is described as having Sky Tv - does that mean the satellite digibox? Again, sorry for the silly question but any info would be appreciated.
Holly

Sky TV is a basic provision with satellite here. Note that not all cable services are provided by Sky and it may not be a basic provision of cable channels.

I suspect that in hotels what you have been given is a short list of channels.

We do tend to say Sky as a shorthand for satellite; as with Hoover for vacuum cleaner or Thermos for vacuum flask

Thank-you Sheila!

Hi Holly. Sheila is quite correct with the above information. If one of the flats says it has SKY TV then in all probability it would be the digibox. The basic package costs around £12 per month. For this you would have access to over 100 channels (mostly rubbish) from repeats of old and best forgotten programmes, shopping, religious, travel, documentaries, news etc. Just like US cable!
Extras can be added such as sports, Disney or movies. Regardless of what package you subscribe to, you have access to pay-per-view movies called "Box Office". These are pre video/DVD release and are encrypted so that they cannot be recorded and duplicated. The cost per movie is £3.50 (or is it £3.99).
SKY is owned by Rupert Murdoch (who I believe also owns the FOX network).

I can get Sky news via Freeview Http://www.freeview.co.uk/
All you need is a digibox that plugs into your TV and uses your normal aerial. You get about 30 digital TV and radio stations and you just make a one off payment for the box.
There's fair amount of rubbish but you get BBC4 (arts programme), BBC3 (youth channel), the five terrestrial channels, Sky News, ITV2, UK History and a couple of children's channels. You can also get Parliament live.

Thanks to everyone for your replies. One of the things I look forward to when visiting Britain is watching tv programs that are not broadcast in the US, especially Sky news. My kids were upset to hear that the Big Breakfast was cancelled, they enjoyed watching it while everyone got dressed and ready for the day. Those digiboxes are a real treat to have when travelling with kids!

Holly, if you don 't get Sky when you arrive, then watch BBC - far superior. If you've got Cable then you'll have BBC 24 (24 hour news), and of course with any channel on the BBC you have the added advantage of no commercials.