Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Not sure where to put this, as it is about Virgin packages as a whole. Anyway with the takeover now confirmed, what LG bring to the table? Will we see more channels, a return to own brand channels, more exclusives and heavy investment in the broadband infrastructure meaning no usage caps?

I get the feeling it will be more of the same. What do you think?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Well only the rest of this year will we see Liberty reveal their true plans and only then we can make some sort of judgement on then.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I don't think much will change to be honest

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I'm not expecting much. I know they're massive, but they have already said they have no intention of expanding the network or investing in premium content. Not sure what they will do other than more of the same and continue to increase speeds etc.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I suspect there will be larger bills :(

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Yes more buck and less bang one suspects.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

The return of some own brand channels presumably, as they want to run channels unlike the current lot.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Off topic posts removed.

Back on topic please

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

a good channel negotiator team hopefully

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Indeed.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Good negotiations yes but not one who rolls over and accepts everything demanded surely?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

yes exactly

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Will be hard when they don't have anything to barter with though.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

VM being part of LG will give them much more leverage one suspects.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

A minimum of 8 million viewers is a good thing to barter with though. (assumes 2 viewers per house hold)

They will have lots bargaining power when it comes to buying equipment ( Set Tops, Cabinet Equipment etc) which could lead to more cash being available to pay for programmes etc

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I expect they will bring increased bills, a continued interest in driving down support costs through more offshore "support" and a lack of interest in Tivo. Expectations set low, so they may be able to exceed them.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I would also wager a lot more American exclusive channels and series heading VM way?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Are LG into 3D ?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Looking at what LG brands have around the world, maybe some of these channels?

http://www.chellomedia.com/index.php?r=channels/index

I see they carry HBO in the Netherlands on UPC, which is a LG brand. It'd be nice to get HBO over here.

http://www.upc.nl/televisie/tv-zenders/

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

The key being in the 'Netherlands' , BSKYB currently holds the rights for HBO content in the UK for the next few years at least.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Perhaps, but once that's up for bidding again, who knows?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Well, when Virgin had rights to HBO on demand, it didn't do much with it. Having said that, with the different attitude we have noticed in recent months from VM, maybe at last we will have access to Boardwalk Empire, Treme, Blue Bloods, etc if HBO rights are bought up by VM in the future.

However, if they just give us Sky Atlantic, I guess everything will fall into place much easier. With the recent welcome co-operation and better relationships between VM and Sky, maybe we will get this channel after all later this year.

Hope springs eternal.....:mad:

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Nothing will change, not for a few years at least.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Posted in the news section but there are rumours around that Vodafone may look at buying Liberty?

http://www.cityam.com/article/vodafo...ad-liberty-bid

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Beginning of the end if that happens

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

It won't happen.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Could explain the deal in the recent results with 'an un-named mobile operator' for VM to do their backhaul.

Cheers

Grim

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

No it doesn't.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Maybe when it comes to smaller channels yes but I imagine the likes of Sky and BT will want something sizeable in return for their channels.

Saying that though, I heard VM did pretty well getting the Sky sports carriage rights again.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

With the emergence of BT Sport, I think its in Sky's interest to have given Virgin a very good deal this time around.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I agree. I bet they are very happy they managed to secure a deal for a wholesale through VM considering what's now being offered bt BT for FREE.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

This is interesting and gives a view on what they own from a programme perspective

http://www.chellomedia.com/index.php?r=channels/index

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

CBS ones may be interesting the rest I haven't even heard of.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Looks like they are into Sports in a big way though so I think they will have a look at BT Sports

http://www.chellomedia.com/index.php?r=channels/index


Sport1 is part of our Sport TV Network covering the Netherlands, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. In the Netherlands it is the number one premium sports channel available on subscription and carries the best international and Dutch sports, including the UEFA Champions League, F.A. Premier League, Italy's Serie A, Spain's La Liga, top international golf and tennis tournaments and MotoGP. Sport1 is also Central Europe's most popular sports channel, broadcast through local language feeds, each channel broadcasting the very best in international and local sports, including top international football, basketball, and ice hockey and the NFL.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Then they can expect to pay an awful lot more than the current deal with ESPN.
I can not forsee BT giving VM the channels for anything other than the standard subscription for the channels and I can not see Virgin being happy to pay that.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I have to agree with you tvtimes

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Looks like thinks are changing at Liberty Global:

http://www.denverpost.com/business/c...#ixzz2TvwSPz5B

"Liberty Global Inc. has put its Chellomedia television-channel business up for sale."

"Chellomedia is Liberty Global's content division, producing and distributing TV channels in a variety of genres including sports, movies and cooking to roughly 390 million households worldwide."

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Not so interesting now they are selling ChelloMedia, so won't be bringing those channels to the table ;)

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

But even if they don't bring them to the table they will still have considerable leverage to negotiate for things.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Gone down well - 1.5 dollar jump in the share price since yesterday. Looks like they are they following the VM route and getting out of the channel provider market.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

The channel provider market as we know can cost a considerable amount of money and l think it is a wise move.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Indeed. I get the feeling they are more focused on internet than TV. Too early to say of course however it could be very interesting times for Virgin broadband customers.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Name them?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

8 million potential viewers (assumes 2 people per home) Don't know all their names though?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Clearly not otherwise we'd have btsport and Sky atlantic by now. Sky and BT obviously fewl they dont need Vms 8m subscribers.
When it comes to non isp channels then yeah sure.
When Vm had their tv arm had considerable leverage.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Err... It doesn't launch until August.

Perhaps you could back that up with some examples?

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

You have this weird memory loss thing going on....


"- In January, despite a 15 per cent per cent increase in the viewing share of Virgin Media TV's channels over the last three years in Sky homes, Sky forced Virgin Media to accept an 85 per cent reduction in the price it pays for the channels

- Even when adjusted for the Sky basic channels' marginally higher share of total viewership and its larger subscriber base, Sky is demanding an annual price per subscriber some 1700 percent higher than it pays for the Virgin Media TV channels

This gaping disparity in channel valuation is the hallmark of Sky's systematic abuse of dominance and their longer term objective of suppressing existing and emerging competition from other companies. Throughout both sets of negotiations, Virgin Media have proposed relatively small adjustments to the status quo (mostly in Sky's favour). Sky, by contrast, have consistently tried to use their market power to fundamentally change in their favour the dynamics of the pay TV market."

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Virgin used their leverage, they were never going to be able to use it twice, and we did nicely out of it. I don't think that the latest deal means Atlantic is coming, but there is no doubt that the relationship between the two companies is improving, and that must be a good thing.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

then why was it VM only got the sky HD channels when they sold the channels to sky

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Yeah, Bravo & Living were hardly a massive draw, if a draw at all. Living was pathetic until Sky took over.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

VM boss backs VoD and fibre.


http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/m...063639.article

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Liberty Global’s Next Frontier Could Be Content.


http://stream.wsj.com/story/markets/SS-2-5/SS-2-389023/

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Though they just sold their content division Chellomedia to AMC Networks (who it seems want to launch their channels in Europe rather than selling their programmes (like Breaking Bad) to other channels).

If you look back at the history of Liberty Global's chairman John Malone he's basically a dealmaker, buying companies when the price is right then selling bits off when others value them more then buying them back again later at a better price. Through first TCI and then Liberty Media and Liberty Global he's had his fingers directly or indirectly in every major US media company at one time or another.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

But Tom Mockridge said differently in your quote:

'In terms of programming and channels, the 58-year-old New Zealander believes that Virgin Media can “pick and choose” what it needs from third parties, rather than creating content itself.'

So I think the position is a little confused!

I did like his reference to 'a comprehensive offer', though. I don't care where the programmes come from, be it Sky, Netflix or wherever - but I want that content!

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Yes the more content available to customers the better.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Yep. And he's getting old, so his days of doing deals will be coming to an end soon, so he may be looking at one last big deal before retirement.

In a recent Telegraph article (link below) they were suggesting that the offloading of Chellomedia was to make the business less complicated so that someone like Vodafone can come along ang buy it.

Long term, whoever the owner is, I believe cable needs its own content otherwise it's simply a utility like gas and water.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...afone-bid.html

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Sky have treated living like crap , when vm had living you only had to wait a few months for new seasons of Supernatural , Nikita etc.
Sky took over Living now you wait for over a year.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

And they dumped Teen Wolf, White Collar and Chuck part way through. Thankully, various Netflix regions have all of those.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Exactly teen wolf is on MTV USA too mate you'll be able to access it via your smart DNS :)

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Even better, season 3 was very recently added to Netflix Mexico.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Hulu is pretty good to that has every episode on it from season 1 and tonnes of other content.
I wonder if they'll ever be a hulu uk i've heard whispers that hulu want to expand , but i'm taking them with a pinch of salt until i get something confirmed. I wonder if this is where lg could be going with their VOD path.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Oh for the days of Bravo and Virgin 1.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Netflix Mexico also has every episode, including the last broadcast one in August this year. And there are no adds on Netflix. And can't you only get every episode on hulu if you have Hulu+?

---------- Post added at 08:26 ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 ----------

Actually, in my view, apart from a few shows, the content across VM's channels was not very good. There was barely one channels worth of content. In my view, Sky got that bit right in closing all but one channel down.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I know one thing they brought to the table and that's a £5.50 price increase starting February 2014 !!!!

I just got my letter today

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Indeed no price rises are nice but all will follow suit l am afraid.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

That could be why i'm seeing every episode mate as i pay a friend via paypal who lives in America and she does the HULU+ subscription for me of her credit card.
I fully agree with you too Netflix has no adverts whereas HULU even HULU+ does , watching the eps via mtv usa has adverts too but you can get around those using adblockplus on firefox or chrome.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

They're being linked with buying everyone :)

http://www.theguardian.com/business/...vodafone-bskyb

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

Personally l cannot see this happening MM and regards this as speculative tittle tattle.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

I don't doubt it Den however I think it makes perfect sense and is a great opportunity for Vodafone to sell its 4G services to Sky's 10m + subscribers whilst bundling it with TV on the go , the Murdoch's controlling interest would be a stumbling block one would imagine unless they are looking to exit amid the failed takeover and hacking scandal.

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

It wants moving to the 'Coming Soon' thread then

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

l concur to your great wisdom Spanky.:D

Re: Liberty Global - what will they bring to the table?
 

:rolleyes: