 The launch of Astra 1D allowed Sky to expand the multichannels package further, including the launch of Sky's pay-per-view Box Office channels in January 1997.Sky News and CNBC Europe were also part of the Sky Multichannels package but remained free-to-air.QVC however, which launched as part of the Multichannels package, switched to free-to-view broadcasting in 1995.