Sky's bid to bring live industry news to pubs has collapsed.
It has axed The Measure - its live breakfast show on the Pub Channel - meaning more than 25 employees will now lose their jobs.
Last year's Market Report survey found that only one per cent of licensees were watching the Pub Channel, despite it being available to 30,000 commercial subscribers to Sky Sports.
Ian Holden, commercial director for Sky Business, denied the programme was being axed because of a lack of popularity.
He told thePublican.com that rather than taking something away from licensees, the move should add to the channel.
"We have carried out a lot of research," he said. "We found that news is well served in the industry already. "People told us what they want from the Pub Channel is specialist programmes that will help them build on their business, such as food, cookery and programmes on wine."
He added that by scrapping the breakfast show, there would be more cash to invest in these kind of informative programmes.
"The Measure has been popular," he said. "But we have to look at the channel overall. We're taking on a change of direction and rather than taking a service away we are enhancing the channel."
The channel was launched in November 2000 as a free service for licensees. Apart from The Measure it broadcasts features on food, drink, property, entertainment and training.
The programme was aired between 8.30am and 10.30am every day, but was also condensed into an hour-long edition and repeated a further six times during the day. Licensees switched on to catch up on the latest industry-related news from around the country.