Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

I don't think the Tory plan is to reduce the role of the BBC necessarily but to introduce a more level playing field so that the commercial broadcasters are not disadvantaged by having to compete against an organisation that is flush with licence fee money.

The new thinking about funding streams is more in line with Tory policy, I think.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...t-reveals.html

The BBC would be open to charging subscriptions for premium content, the new head of the BBC Trust has revealed for the first time.
Rona Fairhead, who took up her new role two weeks ago, said that subscriptions could be an "intelligent way" to generate extra money for the Corporation.

Asked whether "niche" and "premium" programmes could be offered on a subscription basis, Ms Fairhead said: "I think that would be an intelligent way to look forward in terms of the charter review."

Earlier this year, the BBC rejected calls for a subscription model, which would see viewers pay for the services they use.

It argued the £145.50 licence fee was still the "most effective way" to fund its output, warning that subscriptions would increase the cost for those who chose to pay.

Ms Fairhead said the “core” funding for the BBC should still come from the licence fee, the charter review should look at “all sources of income that we could use and then decide.”

She told the Culture, Media and Sport select committee that the BBC must look at "other sources of funding... with a view of making sure we have the funding to make quality programmes and stay impartial but also give the best value for money.”

The BBC's royal charter, which sets out the corporation's scope and remit, and funding arrangement is up for renewal at the end of 2016.
How the BBC is funded will form a key part of these negotiations with the possibility of a subscription model replacing the traditional licence fee. If such changes were introduced it would be the biggest shake-up since the BBC was founded in 1922.

Some members of the Cabinet are understood to believe that the compulsory £145.50 annual charge for television ownership is outdated and does not represent the changes in how people watch television in the modern world.

Sajid Javid, the Culture Secretary, told the committee he had made "no decision" about the future of the licence fee and that the "charter review should rule nothing out and rule nothing in."

He defended previous comments that the current annual licence fee was a lot of money to many families.

Angie Bray the Conservative MP and member of the Culture, Media and Sport welcomed Ms Fairfield’s support for the model. She told The Daily Telegraph that people would be happy to pay for "niche" programme as long as the BBC's "absolute untouchable" content was still available for free.

Mrs Bray told The Daily Telegraph that channels like BBC three and BBC Four would be protected if they were offered on a subscription only basis "as long as people were willing to pay for them". Subscriptions would also bring down the cost of the standard licence fee that would only include the basic package, she said.

"I think, therefore, I can see a case to be made for letting the BBC reign supreme on the things that it does well like the news, Question time, Newsnight and equally they have some very good mainstream entertainment programmes.

“I can see a channel that provides everybody with what they consider the absolute untouchables as far as the BBC is concerned, and there would still be a licence fee for that.”

---------- Post added at 12:28 ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 ----------

I'm not sure that 'happy' is necessarily the right word, Richard! They didn't really have much choice in the matter.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Local TV Broadcaster "Made In Leeds" has today confirmed via Twitter that they will launch on November 6th on Freeview Channel 8 and Virgin Media Channel 159 in some Leeds areas.

Sky Viewers in Leeds will need to wait until November 24th.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Any news on the Liverpool channel? I have suspicions it'll go out of business before it even starts. Sounds like a lol type channel plus they never replied to my kind offer of working for them on a Friday night drinking on camera

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Bay TV Liverpool says they hope to launch on both Freeview and Virgin Media by March 2015.

February 2015 has been set as launch month.

---------- Post added at 09:13 ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 ----------

If the BBC is that poor why not;

-Axe BBC Radio 4 LW.
-Move BBC Radio 3 from FM to LW.
-Launch BBC 6 Music on the old BBC Radio 3 FM Channel.
-Axe all local BBC Radio Channels in England and have two Radio Channels called "BBC Radio England FM" or "BBC Radio England MW".

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Whatever happens to the license fee I can assure you all of one thing. We'll end up paying more money

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Can't see that going down well with the Radio 3 listener, nor the trawlermen. (The Shipping Forecast has to be on the LW channel)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

At launch, they will not be available on Sky so Vince it is the turn of your Sky friends who may have jested you about you not getting Sky Atlantic to be envious. :D "At launch, Bay TV Liverpool will also be available on Virgin 159, but not on Sky TV for a while yet. Watch out here, on Channel 8, and on social media for further updates."
http://www.baytvliverpool.com/vod/?vid=EBV541efe8502331

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

BayTV says on that link:

So that now launch date of November 2014 - March 2015.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Yes, elsewhere on their site they say that they will only launch once all the Freeview transmitters have been configured for them. I think there's one that broadcasts to the Wirral area that is not ready yet, hence the change in launch date.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

It would be a sorry sad day if BBC radio were interfered with like that MB.
I believe the standard of BBC radio on the whole is outstanding.

---------- Post added at 12:15 ---------- Previous post was at 12:14 ----------

Agreed. Vital service.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Cant they use the internet or an Iphone for that?:confused:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Hundreds of miles out at sea? :shocked:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Meanwhile, Liverpool FC has announced details of its HD channel on Sky. No mention has been made of the HD version being on VM; the SD version is available free on channel 544 until it becomes chargeable next month.
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/late...rs-a-day-in-hd

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

Well, you've heard of cable cars. Perhaps VM should persuade the fishing industry to invest in cable trawlers. ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2014) Vol. 4
 

l hope we don't end up paying £7 for the SD version on Virgin because if so they can get stuffed.