Sky to launch its own ‘Freeview-style’ package

Sky’s chief executive, Tony Ball, has revealed that the broadcaster is to compete against the Freeview digital terrestrial service by launching its own “Freeview-plus” package of channels on digital satellite.
The comments came after Sky upgraded its subscriber target to eight
million by 2005 and admitted that the next stage in the broadcaster’s future – extending its subscriber numbers from eight to 12 million – would require a new approach. Ball said: “We can get to eight million or so but will the next four million all be high revenue? Probably not. We will come up with a Freeview-plus type of package with one or two extra.

channels.” The package is likely to include free channels already available on digital satellite, plus a small number of add-on basic TV channels.
In litght of this announcment,it does not make sence to switch off the million or so, Freeview viewews. What would be the point in losing a million or so viewers now, only to try and get them back at some future date?