British Sky Broadcasting today announced it had won the sales contract for Emap's portfolio of six digital music channels.

From 1 January 2002, Sky Sales will take responsibility for advertising sales for The Box, Smash Hits, Magic, Q, Kiss and Kerrang!. All these channels are brand extensions of the company's magazine and radio portfolio. Advertising sales for the channels were previously managed by Carlton Sales.

The new contract means that Sky Sales has leapfrogged Channel 5 to become the biggest supplier of commercial impacts to the majority of audiences after ITV and Channel Four. From the New Year, Sky Sales will deliver more ABC1 men than Channel 5 and Flextech combined.

Mark Chippendale, Head of Sky Sales, said: "We are delighted to have secured Emap's business. The significance of being able to increase the size of our sales portfolio in the current difficult economic climate cannot be underestimated. The age of the pure commodity sell is over. Media businesses such as Emap recognise that Sky can provide greater benefits to clients than simply price, such as the ability to deliver well-defined audiences."

Dave King, EMAP's Sales Director, said: "Sky has leverage in the TV marketplace. It has a strong management team. Our hot Music channels sit well alongside Sky's movies and sports channels. For 16-34s they are now a must buy. These are the reasons we elected to go with Sky."

The addition of Emap's business brings to 34 the number of channel brands on whose behalf Sky sells advertising. The portfolio is now as follows: Sky One, Sky News, Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports Extra, Sky Sports News, Sky Premier, Sky MovieMax, Sky Cinema, Sky Travel, The Box, Smash Hits, Magic, Q, Kiss, Kerrang!, Discovery Channel, Discovery Travel & Adventure, Discovery Civilisation, Discovery Sci-Trek, Discovery Wings, Animal Planet, Discovery Home & Leisure, Discovery Health, The History Channel, Biography, National Geographic, Adventure One, Hallmark, MUTV, Chelsea TV, Artsworld and Tara.