Sky TV, Spark Sport launching sports news shows

Sky TV is launching the shows despite not having the Rugby World Cup rights. Photo / Getty Images

Sky TV is poised to launch a new daily breakfast sports news show, the Herald understands from people close to the situation.

The show will be fronted by OneNews and CampbellLive alumnus Kate King with Radio Sport's Goran Paladin (Radio Sport is owned by NZ Herald publisher NZME).

The show will launch in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup (kicking off September 20), giving Sky a chance to rain on the parade of newly-emerging rival Spark Sport - though, crucially, at a media briefing earlier this month, Spark Sport head Jeff Latch said an agreement over the duration of highlight clips was still being hammered out with other media.

Sky TV is launching the shows despite not having the Rugby World Cup rights. Photo / Getty Images

Latch also said that while Spark Sport is putting nearly 100 per cent of its current effort into producing a smooth World Cup stream, it will make forays into live production and studio shows in 2020.

Earlier this year, Spark Sport poached Scotty "Sumo" Stevenson from Sky.

Latch said Spark needed to win rights to season-long competitions to keep Spark Sport subscribers loyal after the Rugby World Cup. The telco will be gunning for top-tier rugby, cricket and NRL rights as they come up for renewal over the next 24 months.

It will be in for a fight. New Sky TV boss Martin Stewart says he wants Sky to regain its reputation for being the home of sports, and stop bleeding rights.

He backed up his words last week by bagging the Australia-NZ Boxing Day test rights as part of a broader, multi-year deal with Australian Cricket.

Sky TV is also expected to announce a revamped sports app and new sports channel lineup in August.