Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

A lot of fabrication involved

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Is Al Jazeera Arabic (Virgin Channel 831) set to close next week?

https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/al-jazeera...es-astra-19-2e

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I would think not. It's only the Astra 1L feed that is being closed. All cable operators (including VM) plus the majority of DBS reception is now by Hotbird 13 which has a more generous footprint than Astra 1L.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

So there is already an alternative version in Arabic?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Good news. They are both excellent channels.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Astra 1 and Hotbird footprints cover large chunks of Europe and it would be relatively easy for anyone to receive both using a single satellite dish with an offset bracket. It probably isn't cost effective for broadcasters to cover a single area from multiple satellites. Having said that, Qatar isn't short of money, so cost cutting doesn't really seem like something they would do.

If you look at the availability, Al Jazeera Arabic is available from multiple satellites across Europe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera is probably the best source if you don't want to try to read Arabic. ;)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Everything will be on the streamers eventually. This is only a temporary reprieve.

Just sayin’.

---------- Post added at 00:40 ---------- Previous post was at 00:30 ----------

Seriously, though - does anyone care?

MB, do you ever watch these channels? Am I only one to say I don’t give a s** t?

These low quality channels on a precarious budget produce material that most of us consider to be unprofessional and, frankly, boring. I cannot believe that you spend watch these low budget channels very much at all.

But hey-ho - each has their own…

The streamers will put paid to this nonsense.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Why does your vision of the streamers putting paid to linear services sound similar to Russia's treatment of Ukraine?

I guess Media Boy mentioned the channel as it was a potential change to Virgin TV, which is what the thread is about. The thread title isn't Thrilling and Exciting Changes to Virgin TV, some changes will be mundane.

Your analysis of the channel being a low budget entertainment channel is off the mark. It's a shopping channel, selling packs of tat to viewers so that they can create even more tat. And don't tell me you haven't bought into their Tattered Lace Subscription. ;)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I only started to watch to see what would happen to a channels when Hochanda Global Limited took over in January.

If I was starting a TV Channel I would launch a non PC Channel. with shows broadcasters say they cant show anymore.

---------- Post added at 11:33 ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 ----------

If I know a channel is closing on a date - like "Cable Forum TV" is closing on Feb. 30th on Virgin channel 8888. I would go to Channel 8888 on Feb. 16th to see if a listing is saying "Channel no longer broadcasting" on Feb. 30th.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I suspect that you'd soon be fined or shut down for breaching the broadcast code.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Yeah about that. https://www.qvcuk.com/content/shop-live-tv.html

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Yup. And some people clearly use shopping channels as company, there's two-way banter between the studio and the viewers. They were reading out several viewer's emails the other day when I flicked it on out of curiousity, they also talked about viewers contacting individual presenters on social media, and the comments on social media reflect that, some people view them as friends who share an interest. I've never bought anything from shopping channels, or watch them, but I can see why others do. I also see why others view them so badly. But as with standard channels, not all shopping channels are the same, some have no banter, no human interaction, some are basically infomercials back-to-back.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Indeed and those programmes are often available online (youtube etc) for anyone still interested in viewing the un-edited versions.

---------- Post added at 13:47 ---------- Previous post was at 13:44 ----------

Well, yes, exactly. Although in the case of Create & Craft it was a bit of a storm in a teacup as the only real change was re-routing the feed from the old to the new owner.

---------- Post added at 13:51 ---------- Previous post was at 13:47 ----------

I've sometimes "watched" IW in the background if the ITV overnight programme started. Only because I couldn't be bothered to turn it off and was preoccupied with something else. Hmm, they tend to get a little over excited about what they are selling sometimes. It's more panto than telesales. :p

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I suspect some people prefer it like that.

I saw Peter Simon, formerly of Double Dare (Saturday mornings BBC kids TV many a moon ago), is an Ideal World presenter the other day when I was flicking through the channels. He was totally going for the silly panto banter approach. :)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

It's been going on for years. Careful though, it almost makes Old Boy's point about low budget entertainment. Not all shopping channels are like this. ;)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61E0PhuF7TQ