Cable Forum - General Virgin TV (2026)

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Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018 (Post 36213122)

Supposed to get activation email
https://www.virginmedia.com/the-edit...rts-on-hbo-max

Received the email this morning

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

I wonder how long the activation option in the account is there before the email is sent out

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgollop (Post 36213382)

Received the email this morning

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul (Post 36213373)

I disagree. NOW is a great alternative for people who want Sky channels, over the internet, without being tied into long (12/24 month) contracts.

I didn’t say it wasn’t. But the thing is, with HBO Max, the availability of Sky Atlantic on Virgin Media and the obvious deterioration in the quality of content, the number of subscribers to NOW will reduce. The only questions are (1) by how many and (2) will Sky Studios be able to ramp up production to fill the gap?

That will determine whether NOW continues to be a viable and worthwhile operation, unless it can survive on peanuts.

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36213390)

I didn’t say it wasn’t. But the thing is, with HBO Max, the anvailability of Sky Atlantic on Virgin Media and the obvious deterioration in the quality of content, the number of subscribers to NOW will reduce. The only questions are (1) by how many and (2) will Sky Studios be able to ramp up production to fill the gap?

That will determine whether NOW continues to be a viable and worthwhile operation, unless it can survive on peanuts.

Well the Now app as of year ago now operates on the same technical platform as the US only Peacock app

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018 (Post 36213391)

Well the Now app as of year ago now operates on the same technical platform as the US only Peacock app

Yes, that’s true. How are Peacock’s viewing figures doing in the States? It never seemed to take off over here.

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Around 40million paid subscribers at end of 2025 and they offer a free service too.

UK was never going to take off - hardly any content put on it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36213393)

Yes, that’s true. How are Peacock’s viewing figures doing in the States? It never seemed to take off over here.

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36213390)

I didn’t say it wasn’t. But the thing is, with HBO Max, the availability of Sky Atlantic on Virgin Media and the obvious deterioration in the quality of content, the number of subscribers to NOW will reduce. The only questions are (1) by how many and (2) will Sky Studios be able to ramp up production to fill the gap?

That will determine whether NOW continues to be a viable and worthwhile operation, unless it can survive on peanuts.

Doesn't just have to be Sky Studios (and isn't) , Girl Of With Dragon Tattoo series ordered by Sky will be produced by Sony's Left Bank Pictures.
https://www.sky.com/watch/the-girl-w...-dragon-tattoo

---------- Post added at 12:16 ---------- Previous post was at 12:00 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozsat (Post 36213394)

Around 40million paid subscribers at end of 2025 and they offer a free service too.

Wasn't the free service discontinued

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

There is still a basic service available without a subscription - most stuff is blocked.

I know you had to pay to get sport and pay even more to remove ads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018 (Post 36213395)

Wasn't the free service discontinued ?

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

The paid tiers are now

Select (what the free tier used to be)
Premium
Premium Plus (no ads)

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

If you login without any sub there is some content still opening although most is marked upgrade.

Dateline started playing OK

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018 (Post 36213398)

The tiers are now

Select (what the free tier used to be)
Premium
Premium Plus (no ads)

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36213390)

I do think the loss of HBO needs to be taken in context... in terms of scripted programming they only ever delivered around a couple of hours of scripted programming a week in the best of times out of that pact... the way some people talk, they act like Sky's entire schedule compromised of HBO programming. In real terms, backfilling scripted HBO programming (regarding quantity) isn't exactly a huge endeavour.

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phunkenstein (Post 36213400)

I think HBO captured the British imagination. A lot of Sky Atlantic has always been junk, but it’s the content that excels that people go for. One of two HBO episodes each week was enough to gather a lot of interest.

I know that Sky will still be able to commission some material from some studios, but so much now is directed at the streamers by the studios, that there’s not a lot of good stuff left over these days.

I think it is worth pointing out that NOW is competing with those streamers, and if it cannot find enough exclusive content to make it interesting, it could sink without trace.

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36213390)

No it won't people don't want to be locked into 24 month contracts, NOW also includes HBOMAX.

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

HBO Max basic with ads was really designed for Now.

It doesn't show up automatically on hbomax.com , you have to click "see more monthly plans"

---------- Post added at 16:02 ---------- Previous post was at 16:01 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36213401)

Sky don't just commission programming, they acquire - NBCU, Sony, Fifth Season, A24 ,Bell Media, and even still Paramount and so on. I am sure Sky as whole will be fine.

Re: Virgin TV (2026)

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36213401)

You can't dispute the HBO brand equity- and one which has probably been bolstered by Sky having that content brigaded in one place - but whether the non-HBO slate is junk or not is a wholly subjective take and having watched a good chunk of it, I've found there's a lot of decent to really good stuff there, whether original, co-pro or acquired...

Also I don't recall White House Plumbers, The Idol, Somebody Somewhere or Perry Mason setting the discourse alight in the UK... so probably worth keeping in perspective how successful a lot of HBO programming is outside of those few drama tentpoles... and given Sky quickly ordered a second season of the Dyers Caravan Park, not sure we could always say with certainty that audiences always seek excellence (but don't be surprised if Danny Dyer in a caravan outrates a lot of the HBO prestige stuff).

In regards to availability of new material, bit of an odd thing to assume when there has been an overall downturn in original scripted programming being commissioned by streaming services (down 24% year on year based on recent research by Ampere) ... and to be honest Sky likely wouldn't be bidding for most of that given their localised nature so I'm not sure we can confidently evidence that globally scaled streaming services are eating up every new script in the market... plus let's not forget Sky remain adjacent to NBCUniversal & Comcast so they're not exactly out there alone or at the pauper's table...

And has NOW, a platform that has never seemingly been a priority for Sky and one that has rarely broken the 2m mark in the Uk ever been a real competitor for Amazon (13.8M) and Netflix (around 18m)?