Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Or vm are asking too much?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Well, judging by the content, they can't be worth much.

They would have to pay me to watch those channels!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

One thing that I don't like about some VOD services is that you can't see the programme whilst FFing. I like to know where I am in a programme whilst doing this.

I also record some programmes with the full intention of FFing the recording to check if there is anything or anyone of interest to me.

This would be a fair compromise.

True, I imagine that Spike etc want paying to be on the platform, whilst the shopping/foreign channels probably pay to be on there.

I know someone who wanted to put a country music radio station onto cable. He was hoping to be paid for it, but would have settled for a cost neuteral arrangement.

In the end he didn't go ahead as they wanted him to pay them for the privilege of having it on their system!

His stance was that he was enhancing their offering and was prepared to waive any expected fees, their stance was that they would be doing him a favour by having the station on their platform with the increased advertising revenue.

No agreement was reached, so I imagine it's the same scenario.

Would eg Spike be able to cover any cost that they have to make to VM by increasing their advertising rates due to the relatively small increase in exposure to the channel? I doubt it.

It's also very short sighted of VM. By not accomodating such channels, customers may seek them on Freeview or Freesat as I have done and found the FTA offering to be much better than expected.

This is now encouraging me to downgrade from XL and may encourage others to quit Pay TV altogether.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

On the Liberty webcast last week, MIke Fries said that equipment procurement, product development etc is being centralised across Liberty's cablecos. I think in Amsterdam. Perhaps that may be the same with carriage agreements. Liberty will do deals with studios/programme rights holders on behalf of all of their cablecos, rather than each cableco doing their own individual deals.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Well spotted, I guess that doing this will achieve economies of scale in the administration side of carriage negotiations and achieve a better deal for LG by bulk buying content.

Maybe this is why VM have been reluctant to enter into any new carriage deals lately (apart from QVC which Malone has an interest in and minor channels for a niche audience).

In the long run this could be good for customers too, some channels that would not have been financially viable to carry may become so as well as other channels that could be picked up during an international deal that would otherwise not be carried in the UK.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Is this how H2 HD came about?
I seem to remember the channel launching on all of Liberty Global's Cable Networks? Which might explain why the UK didn't get the other missing channels like History HD at the time?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

If NDTV India is a VM-exclusive news channel, what is the fate of NDTV 24x7, which broadcasts the same content?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Same here OB, we are being offered absolute dross!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Of all the channels on offer they got this rubbish

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

I think that's an important point you raise. I can see ITV saying "You can have these recordings available for X months as long as you ensure that viewers can't ad-skip or you can have them available for £££££ with ad-skip."
The issues I see are:
- Immediacy. Will each "recording" be available to watch as soon as the programme starts so you can watch it eg five minutes after it starts.
- Longevity. How long will cloud recordings last when organisations like BBC Worldwide and NBC Universal make huge Christmas boxset sales?
- Non-catch-up recordings. Films etc are not always available as catch-up due to licensing restrictions. Will there need to be a hard disc for this type of content or will there be industry-wide negotiations to permit this content to be stored in the cloud?
- Adskipping, as above.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Well, it would make sense as to why this anomaly exists ;)

I wonder if we'll still have to wait until carriage agreements expire before new channels are normally added?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

I don't think it should but it may depend on the importance of the channel. Certainly, for BT Sport Europe, VM didn't wait until the original contract expired.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

It look to us as Virgin Media UK will carry both as Virgin Media UK broadcast:

-Al Jazeera in English and Arabic
-France 24 in English and French

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

Well instead of the foreign news channel or additional shopping channels, why don't virgin media ask what the customers want

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2
 

The problem with that is we all want different things! For example, some want prices pegged as low as possible while others want more channels at any cost. Plus, you have content providers like Sky who dictate terms.

My view is that VM should continue to strive to provide the best possible choice at the best possible price, but also provide us with the means to watch content from as many of the missing channels as possible (eg through Amazon and Now TV). That way, VM subscribers can choose to pay for additional content without impacting on those who are not interested.

Yes, I know we can do this anyway by other means, but it would prefer to be able to access through one box, not a multitude of boxes and streaming sticks, which all cost extra and are less convenient.