Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

Yup Old boy, Like when is Sky Atlantic Coming, it is Aint My Prediction it will be gone in 2024....

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

Ah yes, of course it is. I think it's difficult to know for sure which party is responsible. On the one hand, VM's statement and removal aligns with Warner's intention to go down the streaming route, whereas CNN's continuing presence on Sky and Freesat contradicts that. On the other hand, VM has previous for this kind of thing...

---------- Post added at 22:26 ---------- Previous post was at 22:15 ----------

CNN is also being removed from BT and Freesat next week, so that certainly seems to suggest this is a Warner decision. Its a contradictory offering though - either pay monthly or get it FTA on satellite.

https://amp.mediamole.co.uk/entertai...ek_460832.html

I wonder if CNN is a part of the pay channels carriage agreement, despite it being FTA.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

Maybe Warner want CNN to be in the subs club and Sky agreed but Virgin said no. I suppose things will be a little clearer next week when we find out if CNN remains FTA on Sky or is encrypted.

Meanwhile CNN's PR team are promoting the fact that CNN will continue to be available on Sky from September 1st. https://twitter.com/cnnipr/status/1430560155322757127

Also changing the bio of its Twitter feed to state:

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

CNN International did launch in 1985 on September 1st look like Virgin Media will not be attending CNN International's 36th Birthday party.

You would think Warner Media would roll over all deals with providers until WarnerMedia proposed merger with Discovery, Inc is deal is done. As on the outside looking in Discovery is set to be running things with Discovery's David Zaslav is set to become CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery after the deal closes in the middle of 2022.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

Except…

https://www.britannica.com/topic/CNN

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

I am on about CNN International - not US Broadcaster CNN.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

One of the Discovery execs getting a cushy job is to be expected in a deal, it still doesn't change that 71% of the venture will be owned by WB's parent company and Discovery 29%.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

I think the terms of the merger are that AT&T's shareholders get 71% of the venture and Discovery's shareholders get 29%. Effectively a divestment by AT&T, creating a standalone company.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

Some channels to rebrand soon on Virgin Media:

September:
6th: MTV Classic to be known as MTV Pride on Virgin Channel 316.
13th: MTV Pride to be rebrand back as MTV Classic on Virgin UK Channel 316.
20th: Sky Sports Golf HD to be known as Sky Sports Ryder Cup HD on Virgin UK Channel 505.
20th: Sky Sports Golf to be known as Sky Sports Ryder Cup on Virgin UK Channel 515.
26th: GREAT! movies classic to be known as GREAT! movies christmas on Virgin UK Channel 424.
28th: Sky Sports Ryder Cup HD to be rebrand back to Sky Sports Golf HD on Virgin UK Channel 505.
28th: Sky Sports Ryder Cup to be rebrand back to Sky Sports Golf on Virgin UK Channel 515.

November:
20th: NOW 80s to be known as NOW Christmas on Virgin UK Channel 347.

December:
27th: Now Christmas to be rebrand back to NOW 80s on Virgin UK Channel 347.

January 2022:
4th: GREAT! movies christmas to be rebrand back to GREAT! movies classic on Virgin UK Channel 424.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

ugh i actually liked CNN especially for the US election coverage and the January riots. it was good to see the americanism of news. Now nothing...and we have to pay money per month just for CNN...what the heck!

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

I swear this Christmas channels get earlier and earlier each year.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

I wonder if VM were trying to get the HD variant at no extra cost, couldn't, so ended up throwing their toys out of the pram.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

It's in the Player basic subscription level, so not a particularly high value channel for Virgin. Maybe it is just treated as a channel available FTA elsewhere and has to pay carriage and bandwidth fees to Virgin. I doubt that Virgin could insist on CNN going HD and therefore have to pay higher bandwidth fees. If they have, that could explain CNN's departure. All speculation though unless we get to see the terms of the contract, which isn't going to happen.

The fact that CNN will continue on Sky is at odds with Virgin's claim that WarnerMedia wants to move the channel to Warner's own subscription model.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

They hven't said how much longer they will be on Sky - only still there from 1st September.

The question those wanting to know should not be "will CNN still be on Sky after 1st Sept 2021?" but should be "will CNN still be on Sky after 1st Jan 2022?"

They could close CNN on Sky on 8th Sept and would not have made a false claim.

I suspect they are just waiting for that carriage deal to expire as both BT and VM will have already been dropped by then.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2021)
 

CNN are actively promoting the carriage on Sky, listing it ahead of their own subscription service on their Twitter feed. I don't think anyone is claiming that CNN will be carried on Sky indefinitely. That can't realistically be claimed for any channel. The thing to watch out for in the near future is whether or not CNN becomes encrypted on Sky. That would be a good indication of a firm contract or waiting out an existing uplink contract. Obviously, dropping BT carriage isn't very important as the service which carried CNN is no longer being marketed.

---------- Post added at 06:28 ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 ----------

I've just heard that Sky Max (sid 524) & Sky Max HD (sid 2405) have now been added and are testing internally at Virgin. Video and Audio streams have also been added. At the moment, Greatest Hits Radio only exists as a label with no audio stream present.