Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

This is a tactic by Sky to get more money from VM for the channel, Sky are very good at this type of thing

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Apart from Boardwalk Empire, Entourage, and Blue Bloods...

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I would love to see those programmes, but it's not the end of the world if I don't (this reflects the atttitude I had during the previous Sky channels furore).

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I think this shows that with Sky 1-3 and Sky Atlantic there isn't really enough content to cover 4 channels.

Out of interest what are the current top 20 channels according to Barb ?

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

The data is on their site ... you should go have a look. ;)

www.barb.co.uk

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Here is the Oct-Dec by percentage - BARB1
For December, the top players were (rounded)
BBC1 21%
ITV1 17%
BBC2 7%
C4/S4C 6%
FIVE 4%
C4+1 1%
Sky1 1%
Sky3 1%
Sky Sports 1 2% (1.6)
BBC3 2% (1.5)
BBC News 1% (1.3)
E4 1% (1.1)
Film 4 1% (1.2)
ITV2 2%
ITV3 2%
ITV4 1%
More 4 (1%)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Touché! In that case those ratings are indeed very weak.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

There's an interesting article in The Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...iracy-internet

Especially this bit

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Unlikely unless they can get literally all content on one platform for a rock-bottom subscription or make it available for nothing (or get it included in a broadband subscription).

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Been said on here LOL :-)

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcas...acy-surge.html

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I feel VM should not be held to ransom over Atlantic. If they are they will have to put it on our bills.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Anybody who knows where to go will have seen the whole series by now.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I think a lot of people will appreciate the Guardian referring to them as "young" ;)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Didn't you know 50 is the new twenty something :p:

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Just read about MTV charging for their online OD rather than the free model with adverts that the majority of channels do.

Now that would be interesting. Maybe Sky are making hay while the sun shines as if this ever took off (and I am sure it will) their numbers will start to drop significantly. I think peoples main complaint is 'why can't I subscribe to the channels I watch?' well, not so far down the road, they probably will be able to.

I think VM are ultimately positioned to exploit this market should...sorry...when it arrives.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Great post! Works for me if I want to subscribe to a channel I should be able to.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Unfortunately, Sky don't sell the channel by individual subscriber - there is usually a minimum payment of nnnn (where nnnn is usually quite a large figure) for the base fee, with bands of payments by numbers of subs.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

True, but look a few years down the road (maybe less). What if you watched say...Discovery, MTV and ESPN and the opportunity arose that they offered subs direct via IPTV for I dunno...£10 for the three? You'd subscribe wouldn't you and save yourself £20+ a month rather than pay Sky or VM for a lot of channels you don't watch.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Looks like Sky are in trouble over Sky Atlantic coverage on Sky News! :D

Sky News faces investigation over Sky Atlantic coverage. giving it too much airtime

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...ofcom-atlantic

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Haha! Sky News eh, can't beat it.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I would have thought Youview (if successfully launched) would be miles ahead of VM for this as it is going to be subscription free and therefore truly 'pay as you view'.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Don't Sky break this rule every day with their so called Sports News Channel that is just a 24 hour long advert for sports they show

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Hmm...I get a feeling of deja vu.

Isn't this argument precisely the same as what happened a couple of years back when the Sky Basics were pulled from Virgin Media. Sky harped on about pouring loads of money into Sky One, Virgin wanted it on the cheap etc.

Fast forward over a year and Sky offered a better deal because the advertisers were kicking up a stink.

Obviously the difference this time is the advertisers can't complain because the channel has never been on Virgin and they haven't lost their audience.

But to quote that song "It's all just a little bit of history repeating!" :D

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Last time round, Sky wanted Virgin to pay a price that reflected Sky's investment in programming on Sky One (in essence they wanted Virgin to help them pay the king's ransom it cost to steal Lost off C4). This flew in the face of the conventional means by which these things are normally agreed (you pay for a channel based on its popularity, not based on what its owner has lavished on it).

Sky might just have got away with this tactic had they not only recently used the popularity argument to negotiate a vastly reduced rate for carriage of the channels VM owned at the time. VM was rightly able to point out that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

Nevertheless, Sky threw its toys out the pram and spent a few weeks being faced with the reality of ratings sliced by a third and advertisers making dangerous noises about wanting lower rates for slots on Sky One before eventually cutting a deal that essentially valued Sky Basics and VM's channels on the same basis. All of which is now a bit academic as VM has sold the lot to Sky anyway.

As you say, Sky won't be as worried about advertising rates this time round because the channel has never been on VM, so nobody is going to complain that viewing figures are lower than they thought they would be. On the other hand, I would not be at all surprised if once again Sky's valuation of the channel in negotiations with VM has more to do with what Sky has spent on it rather than what it's actually worth in ratings terms.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

This reminds me of something that has always surprised me. Sky one is theoretically accessible to about half the households in the UK (approx 21m homes, 8m Sky subscribers and 3m VM subscribers). Yet when the big shows (particularly Lost and 24) transferred to Sky, they got viewing figures that were anywhere from 1/6th to 1/3rd of what they were when they were on terrestrial TV. Frankly, if I were in Sky's position, I'd be reviewing my strategy, not just adding another channel for people to not watch American shows on.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Their big problem - well, one of their problems - is the American super-size advert breaks in their programmes. It makes it very difficult to really stick with a show unless you badly want to. The hard core will sit through it but a lot of casual viewers won't. I certainly never watched anything on Sky One unless I really wanted to.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

That's what PVRs like V+ and Sky+ are for. I hven't watched a show with adverts in it, live, for years.

For US shows, just start watching 20 minutes after the start for a 1 hour show; you'll end up finishing at the same time as the TV broadcas, minus add breaks!

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I don't think I've watched Sky1 since it came back to cable. The ad breaks are way too annoying.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Only for the Hogfather and going postal in HD for me since it came back. And that was recorded to miss ads.....

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I am not a big sky fan,But sky are willing to invest in programs for there channels it is only natural they want to recover some of there cost not only from there own subscribers but from selling there channels to other tv providers.Vm decided to pull out of the channels and program market by selling there channels so what do they expect,If there not willing to invest in programs why should they expect to get them from sky for next to nothing.They should have thought about all this before they sold the channels especially to sky.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

We don't know what figures are involved here so we can't realte 'next to nothing' to anything or other channel agreement

As I've said before I'd much rather Virgin get it for the right price rather than at any price

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Virgin Media are only a platform now. They have invested heavily in VOD content and in their network over the last few years.

Sky bought some programming for an over inflated price and they want VM to pick up the tab.

Sky are like the dodgy car salesman here.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Sky do have a right to make a profit from what they invest in. I'm just making the point that if they want / need a lot of viewers, it doesn't appear to be working.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Problem with this statement is that it is free to all Sky Subscribers till September IIRC.

Then, I have read, it will go into the variety pack.

Therefore Sky are not positioning it as a premium channel like moveis etc but part of their standard channels.

It could almost be right to concider it a basic channel like Sky 1 etc.

Why then should Virgin help pick up the tab on a channel that Sky will not charge its own customers for at all if included in a current package. :confused:

I say wait till Sky come back begging for any crumbs Virgin are willing to pay for what appears from viewing figures to be a channel even their own customers arn't watching :p:

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

You have heard of PVRs? They have fast forward buttons for skipping adds! :D

That TIVO thingie you've got should do the job :D

Sorry DF; I tried to resist...

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Both make a very good point why sky move last time failed although I am not sure Chris about advertiser wont be angry. They lost a good channel which by all accounts had infinate more reach ie all platforms and had circa 2m viewers for it to be replaced by this.

I cant see advertisers being happy with SKY motives and actions to deny SKY Atlantic to all platforms in SD. Sky to me have also completely missed judged its own viewers think it would be corporate suicide to put it in theyre pay system.

Stuart thats actually a good point I think its more down to diversity of the amount sky channels available. VM, Freeview, BT got less diversity so that might be reason for figure clusters.

Its like the issue about revamping channels or ditching them because numbers are low. As long you making a profit and not a loss then its not needed, your catering for a niche market. There is millions of viewers we all not going to want to watch the same thing. We all have different tastes it annoys the hell out me when owners of channels get paraniod why millions dont watch and revamp them or close them.

Was it right for sky ditch those channels no if they was not making a loss. I wish regulators would actually control this practise too. I would say the same with atlantic but its likely making the huge losses.

About time customers/viewers was protected from STEALING shows too. If you lost out of getting a blockbuster then there should have to bite the bullet and miss out.

Its annoying like hell that bigger companies can steal shows which are free to air to put them in ppv system because they become cult viewing.

ONCE in free to air always free to air should be so regulators Protect Customers/viewers rights.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I'd have to find a programme that was worth TiVo'ing on Sky1 first! :D

I used to like the channel around 1999 to about 2004 after that it went down-hill.

anyway, back on topic :D

---------- Post added at 12:27 ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 ----------

programme grabbing has been Sky's trademark move for a while now. Let the DTT free channels get them hooked and then grab them.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Agree :D

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

At the end of the day they are only television channels and programmes and are completely transitory.

How many of the endlessly repeated shows now being being presented on a variety of channels were once the must see shows of their time and are now what we all endlessly flick through on our way to find something newer?

Which makes me wonder why so many are getting their panties in a twist over not having access to shows that will eventually air on a channel that they can view anyway? Why pay the extra cost to actually see something before anyone else? :confused:

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

There seems to have been a huge increase recently on this forum regarding regulators and how they should regulate more and more.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Why pay the extra cost to get TiVo before anyone else?

It's human nature. New and shiny, people will want it

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

And yet people also endlessly moan about how much DTV costs.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

As a joint Sky/HBO production, I wonder what channel this previous Sky one pogramme will end up on? Pretty much guarantied for Atlantic I think.

Sky1 'Strike Back' lands second series

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...nd-series.html

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

No-one's forcing VM to take Sky's content, they could always go elsewhere or source their own if they feel Sky are ripping them off and they could get it for lower direct from source :)

---------- Post added at 15:16 ---------- Previous post was at 15:15 ----------

Unless it's about regulating Virgin Media in which case it's bad, bad, bad. As expected given most of this forum's population are VM retail customers!

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Yeah, I think this is where VoD comes in to play :)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

It was more than a 'few weeks', well over a year wasn't it before the deal was cut?

What's the betting how long it might take this time round, given the lack of advertiser pressure, and (if News International get their way) lack of external shareholder pressure on BSkyB to behave rationally?

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

To be quite honest, I can't remember now ...

This time round it will appear on VM just as soon as Sky believes there is no longer any commercial advantage in it being an exclusive. A couple of years, perhaps.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Virgin will get it when Sky feel they are ready to sell it and not before. It's Sky's ball and they can take it home if they want to.

Nothing irrational about it, while Sky feel they can get more retail customers by keeping it to themselves that's what they'll do.

---------- Post added at 16:04 ---------- Previous post was at 16:03 ----------

What Chris said.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I think 1-2 years is about right, people should not expect to see Sky Atlantic on VM any time soon, as this time around there do not seem to be the same immediate business pressures on Sky (or VM) to make it happen.

However on past form, decisions are made for strategic as well as immediate business reasons. In years past, Sky have seen off both BSB and ITV Digital, and may have been trying it on with VM in 2007. Hence the costly (and 'irrational') purchase of the ITV stake as well as the Sky Basics episode.

In the medium term, Sky probably now 'needs' a viable and visible competitor if it is to avoid regulatory intervention. Also Sky and VM have a number of common interests, particularly in fostering and strengthening the Pay-TV model before YouView comes on the scene in 2012. So who knows.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

That's true. Mass regulating pay tv would lead to VM suffering regulation too . E.g. the competition on a platform only basis argument fails quite simply because VM have a superior platform. Unless off course platforms themselves are regulated to make them homogeneous. In which case VM lose out because Sky's marketing budget would blow VM out of the water on a like for like platform basis. But then we have regulators dictating what a company can and cannot do. It ends up being the DTV version of a communist lada car.

And this is before the very hilarious fact that in the context of this regulation argument, VM gave Sky even more power by selling them its channels. Yet VM don't mind so I doubt any regulator ever would.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

But Sky already have long term deals with the movie companies and have had VOD rights tied up for years, where are VM etc supposed to go ?

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

And where are VM customers supposed to go. To Sky of course. But that doesn't matter because apperently monopolies are OK. Well as long as Sky are the monopoly.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Nothing stopping VM from bidding on the content, they chose not to.

Sky have offered to sell content via VM's platform, VM refused.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Ignition none of that makes any sense. Sky have loads and loads of money, VM are heavily in debt.

As for VM being offered the content can you prove that, I can't believe you have swallowed that line. Sky advertised the channel months ahead of launch as exclusive. They even said in a press release the channel was to create a difference between the content they offer and other channels offer.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Sky sent a team down to try and sell the channel to VM but VM decided not to go further according to sky,which to me is a sensible policy why pay shed loads for a channel sky may have overvalued and in a few months later if it bombs out sky may offer a cut price deal for.

We all know sky have shed loads of money to bid for content VM on the other hand are in debt, work it out for yourself why VM did not enter a bidding war for the content rightly so in my view. Sooner or later sky atlantic will be offered to VM at more reasonable rates,if only so sky can charge more for the adverts with a bigger potential audience just a question of when.

In the meantime for people who want to see the content there are other ways.;)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

VM aren't 'heavily' in debt at all, that would be struggling to pay the bills. VM's total debt is more than sustainable now and they are generating considerable amounts of cash while paying their interest bill and are actively paying back their debt - read their results.

I didn't say that VM had been offered this content I said that Sky have in the past offered to sell their content via VM's platform and VM refused. By that I mean the same deal that TalkTalk TV have where Sky pay for access to the platform and the customer pays Sky.

---------- Post added at 17:51 ---------- Previous post was at 17:49 ----------

Easy, they're happy for Sky to pay for the content and them to go crying to Ofcom if Sky won't sell it to them or charge too much for it.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

On the first point can you produce a comparison of VM and Sky's balance sheets.

On the second point I apologise profusely I misunderstood you. That would create even more of a monopoly though.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Well sky did pay for the content and vm are showing no sign of going to ofcom are they.? By their shear market power 10 million customers sky use content to try and batter the oppostion into submission,which is very bad for the consumer as a whole. But what is bad for the consumer is very good for sky mind you as i have said if the channel bombs as it may it will appear at a very reasonable price on vm down the line.

Mind you sky themselves appear happy that their access to BT lines is regulated saves them investing in their own eh,for their phone and broadband offerings sky are quite happy for cut price access in this case.:D;);)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

That is very inaccurate. Sky haven't battered anyone into submission.

And I don't get the 'bad for the consumer' argument either. What is this based on? VM carry the majority of Sky's channels. Who exactly is losing out?

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

So if they can carry the majority of the channels why not all of them? Do you think exclusive content is in our interest?

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Because quite simply VM and Sky are not meant to be homogeneous substitutes.

I don't see how it impacts your or VM customers interests. There is nothing stopping a VM customer going to Sky if what they want is Sky channels from the day they are released.

Plus going by the figures of Sky's recent misadventures I doubt anyone could question the interests of 3.8m consumers being harmed on the basis of viewing figures in the thousands.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

It impacts on all consumers interests if it creates a monopoly. If what you say is true and Sky's attempt to create a gulf between the content they have compared with other's in an attempt to poach customers has failed then that would go a long way to calming my fears.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

BSB? ITV Digital?

Ten years on, I don't think they would/could get away with it now, if only because of the high profits now being made by Sky and the media and regulatory focus currently on News Iinternational and BSkyB.

Medium term, I think it is in both Sky and VM's interest to co-exist, as the real challenge comes from elsewhere (YouView etc).

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

But Sky aren't a monopoly. And they aren't succeeding in poaching VM customers either. The viewing figures for the new channel are abysmal. No where near creating any kind of credible threat to any other platform.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Do you think only having one retail option on VM's network is in our interest? Clearly not, but all products aren't created equally.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Tbh Ignition I dont really know. I could possibly be persuaded it was in the consumer interest but I really don't think it would be. I think given the dominant position that Sky have to weaken one of there main competitors would be unhelpful but if they did it as a total overhaul of the industry ie breaking up Sky into content and delivery platforms then possibly I could be persuaded.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Berkett on Sky Atlantic

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...a-sky-atlantic

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

when the Sky/VM battle was concluded with a reasonable settlement ( should have been done earlier ) I think I recall that one of the main underpins was that advertisment revenues were limited overall because eg Sky1 was 'missing out' on exposure to the massive number of VM subscribers

does this same argument not apply with Sky Atlantic

ps : can we have ST Voyager back soon please

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Are you seriously saying you haven't seen the entire 7 seasons of Voyager (plus DS9 and TNG) multiple times already when they were repeated to death on Sky One, then Virgin 1 and Bravo?

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

With all these price hikes Virgin are putting on all TV tiers, I hope they at least give Sky Atlantic SD to L package customers, and Sky Atlantis HD/SD to XL.
That's if they ever get the channel.

Speaking of the Berkett on Sky Atlantic. Why have Virgin Media not allowed the rest of the CBS channels on their EPG?. May not be Sky Atlantic, but it's a hell of a lot better than having absolutely nothing.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Looks like I was right about Sky Atlantic.... it's certainly struggling to attract many viewers.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...lantic-ratings

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Don't forget all those viewers have cancelled Virgin and gone to Sky!! :rolleyes:

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Honestly, when will they learn ...

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I think they just have.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Looks like Virgin Media made the right choice in refusing to over pay for this channel.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Absolutely agreed. Typical Sky all the hype leading up to a launch. The channel will be worth a lot less now if Virgin pick it up, but maybe its not even worth it :)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

The way it's going it would pay Sky to give it to Virgin for nothing, at least the advertisers would be less likely to come back asking for a refund :p:


I never thought it would be as big as many including Sky believed it would be but it's even worst than I could have dreamed of.


Sky must be looking at the people who produced expected viewing figures and asking them how they got it so wrong.


Even gems TV must get better figures :D


Look for this to arrive sooner than I expected and maybe earlier than September when Sky are due to limit access with their own subscribers.;)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

How much were Sky asking for?

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Probably highly confidential information only very few actually will know.

Looks like vm called it right though wait and see how it goes before overpaying.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Cheeky boy. ;)

Sky has plenty of form in this regard - they are known to prefer to price their product according to the level of their investment in it rather than according to its market value. A bit like a Barry Boy who thinks his clapped out old Corsa is worth £10,000 just because he spent £10,000 modding it.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Just wondering as there was a suggestion of insider knowledge.

I note Berkett claiming the price was unrealistic, also describing the product as 'great' which is somewhat at odds with the gloating exercise here.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Too much ;) :D

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

It's early days. Channels do take time to establish themselves and take off. Channel may become more and more popular overtime. Over hyped weren't they just advertising the channel.

I'd like this channel only if they get it in both SD and HD.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I think very probably the "gloating" such as it is was to do with skys pre launch hype and sky saying it would not appear on virgin media anytime soon nobody likes a bragger particularly when the bragging ie hype goes belly up.

Of course sky atlantic may pick up but i guess by the time virgin do eventually get it its true market value will be only too apparent.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

The only reason I care is that if the Sky Atlantic thing ended up working, they would start taking all the best stuff off Living, Sky One etc etc and create "new" channels of exclusivity.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I think Sky started the gloating with the opening link in this thread? ;)

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I'd be the last person to insist VM must be right just because they're VM ... fanboyism is tiresome and oh so pointless. ;) But I think Berkett has a good point here.

Sky Atlantic is a great product on paper - any of the shows on its roster would do well, were they to be screened on one of the terrestrial channels. But it is a long-understood truth of the British pay-TV marketplace than people are extremely reluctant to pay for channels outside of "The Three Fs".

Sky has invested a pile of cash in launching Sky Atlantic and attempting to counteract the perception that there is nothing worth paying for on its platform for those who aren't already interested in any of the aforementioned premium content.

Berkett's view seems to be that it's a good idea, but Sky may be throwing too much money at it - or at least, may have tried to take the opportunity to get VM to pay too great a share of what is after all a brand-building exercise intended primarily to benefit Sky, not pay-TV in general.

As I said, Sky has form here - they paid a fortune to steal Lost off Channel 4, failed miserably to break through their ceiling of 1-1.5 million viewers for peak-time drama on Sky One, and then tried to get VM to pick up the tab when it came time to re-negotiate the Sky Basics package.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Will have to see what content the channel picks up in the future.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I don't think it will pick up - if it can't succeed with the ballyhoo around Boardwalk Empire and the tens (hundreds?) of millions Sky has spent promoting it, then you've got to ask yourself what other series are going to appear on Atlantic this year that will draw a larger audience. Treme had strong reviews and followed the hugely acclaimed The Wire, but has fallen completely flat. Game of Thrones? A cult classic at best. Mad Men season 5? Unlikely to appear anytime soon (production postponed indefinitely whilst negotiations between Lionsgate and AMC continue) and that couldn't even draw a big audience on all platforms, let alone just Sky alone.
It was a brave attempt by Sky to launch such a prestige channel, but no matter how deep Sky's pockets it is a profit-driven company and needs a return on its investment. Any money and audience from Virgin Media would be welcome I'm sure, by both Sky and advertisers, and Berkett's right to compliment the product but haggle the price.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Has the new series of Entourage as well that's a quality show.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Quality it may be, but fewer than 18,000 viewers for the season premiere on Sky Atlantic a few weeks ago. Details here.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

You know I wouldn't be surprised if they shuttered Sky Atlantic and moved the content to it's other channels (Sky Living?), it just seems they are trying to spread their content a little thin. It can't be cheap running 2 channels, 2 channels that have very low viewing figures.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

That's a shame for Entourage - I am sure the figures were higher on ITV2 (200k on average, I believe, with 300k for the final episode). Even if you take into account that Sky have access to 10 million homes, and ITV2 access to 95% of the UK's 26 million homes (just under 25 million), that's still a helluva drop*...

*(ITV2 has access to 2.5 times the number of homes Sky has, so if you multiply 18,000 by 2.5, you get 45,000).

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

What we have to look at here, is simply DO VM customers want channels ie like SAtlantic on the network, or is Mr Berkett, saying, l only want channels on the network if its good VM.

In the end its the customer, that Mr Berkett should listen too, its them that pays the bill at the end of the day.

What should happen is that VM should have channels that the consumer wants, like Sports, Docs, and drams, And this should be the customer choice. What l think could be happening here, is CAN l include it in the XL package, where the customer gets it within the normal price, or does he make it a premier channel where you have to pay for it.

I think this is what he is waiting for.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

Also after this season there is only 4/6 episodes left of Entourage, so what else will SA have? HBO and AMC run very small seasons of shows, I feel there will be an awful lot of repeats to be shown and I reckon there will be complete days where there will be no new programming.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

I think that it would be good to wait and see what the viewing figures are when SKY ATLANTIC goes in to the variety pack in Sept and then maybe see what happens to the channel.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

not at all Arthur, it's simply over-priced in VM's eyes, so they can't justify VM customers footing the bill for Sky's over-spend.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

They'll probably get True Blood when contract runs out with FX.

They should show OZ on there, I'd love to watch them again.

Re: Guardian: "Sky Atlantic won't be on Virgin Media soon, says BSkyB boss"
 

The vast majority of Sky subscribers take the variety pack, I doubt it'll make much difference.