Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

Obviously? How so? What nefarious tactics? Look out! What's that behind you??? :D

Sky are merely competing, they are competing hard. Nothing more. And this from a VM fan. No dark side, no light sabres, just good old-fashioned competition. Exactly what OFCOM is supposed to encourage.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

I have to say that Sky are not doing much wrong in this case. They have spent their money on (imo overrated) exclusive SA content, and are also helping themselves, along with ITV to improve ratings by enticing customers with this latest deal. Like VM, (or anyone else) they want customers to join them or stay with them. Why should Sky pump money into a channel(s) just to offer it to VM (or anyone else) who have not paid a penny for the start-up costs? It could be argued that selling it VM (or anyone else) will re-coup some costs, but if Sky can afford to take the hit, why not please their loyal customers and try and gain more custom?

If VM complete an exclusive deal with an American company and C4 or C5, would that be equally as wrong?

I do disagree with the way Sky operate overall though. The costs of SS and movies for VM customers are ridiculous. I know the same argument about expenditure can be used, but Sky are clearly ripping non-Sky subscribers off. Whilst people are daft enough to keep paying Sky for them though, Sky will keep charging it.

---------- Post added at 19:19 ---------- Previous post was at 19:17 ----------

No rose tinted glasses here Den, I disliked my time with Sky.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

Same here as soon as my Sky contract is up i'm out. Although i might have a get out early clause as they declined my cashback with topcashback which might void the contract. I've got someone looking into that for me.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

There is nothing nefarious about platform exclusivity - everyone does it, including Virgin Media. Get a grip and stop with the ridiculous hyperbole every other post.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

This ^^^

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

So basically you are saying that Sky don't use insidious and underhand tactics when all the evidence of the last 10 years would suggest otherwise but alas as always the mere suggestion when someone mentions it gets the usual quick denials and lack of acceptance of the real truth of how Sky abuse their monopolistic position.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

When VM sold their channels to Sky and a few months later Sky launched Atlantic as exclusive, were Sky being sly/nefarious or were the VM negotiators being stupid for not expecting such a move? Probably a bit of both.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

Here we go again. What evidence? What real truth? What monopoly? What are Sky doing that isn't done by any successful company in any sector in any UK market?

Your position is fascinating. Do you, or did you ever, work for a company? Didn't it ever seek to differentiate itself from its competitors to obtain commercial advantage? It's absolutely normal, not insidious or underhand, absolutely normal.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

Oh sweet a new Sky exclusive for everyone to complain about for the next few months, it's been so quiet on here.

I don't really see how ITV can come up with a substantial amount of content without diluting the content on ITV 3, which will in turn reduce advertising revenue for that channel. It will be interesting to track the BARB statistics for this.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

We have access to almost everything other than SA Den. They rip VM customers off for SS and movies but it's only SA we can't get.

Most SA content is available legally though, albeit at an additional cost, as well from VPN? sites or through illegal sites. Sky do indeed abuse their monopolisitic position in the fact the fact they charge massively OTT for the price of sports and movies. Whilst people pay them for this privalige, that is simply the customers choice. I desperatley miss international cricket and international rugby from around the world and movie premirers, but wont I be held to ransom for it!!!!

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

BBC Red Button now added on channel 992.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

SORRY TO BREAK SOME BAD NEWS

SKY have just extended their exclusive Sky Atlantic deal with HBO through to 2020 and will be making 'exclusive shows' with them. VM don't stand a chance now.

SOURCE: http://www.sky.com/tv/channel/skyatl...article/hbo???

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

Sky have been panicking big time signing long term contracts! I don't know whether this means less or more chance of VM getting Atlantic. If sky are paying more in this deal then they may want to cash in and sell the channel to VM. If they're being vindictive and defensive then yeah probably won't sell.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

Its just another example of Sky having too much power in a very distorted TV market where one company out bids everybody else for most of the content.

Re: Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014
 

Sky Atlantic is the best advert for illegal downloads the UK has ever seen. I can't believe the number of my friends and acquaintances who have seen Game of Thrones, despite not having Sky or a large DVD collection.

I don't understand Sky's strategy here. The evidence surely shows that exclusive offerings like this simply don't pull in the punters. The movement of telly addicts to Sky back when their Basics package vanished from VM for a period of months was negligible; Sky was forced back to the negotiating table due to viewing figures that had been slashed and angry advertisers who pointed out that they weren't going to keep paying the same amount to reach only two thirds of the viewers.

It looks to me as if they are simply locked into a mindset now and don't know what else to do.

---------- Post added at 08:53 ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 ----------

This is not necessarily bad news for VM customers. The deal relates to exclusive carriage of HBO shows on Sky Atlantic, not exclusive access to Sky Atlantic by Sky subscribers only.

If Sky does see the light and realise it has nothing to gain from channel exclusivity, there is nothing in this deal with HBO that I can see that would prevent Sky making the channel available on cable before 2020.