Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Just has a survey asking how I would react if virgin cut BBC1, ITV1, CH4 and CH5 and would I pay more to keep them. We dont have an ariel so would lose these. Are virgin thinking of doing this?. We used to have sky but changed because whem we had bad weather, the picture went all screwed up, in fact in the end, some went off on there own. Quite happy with virgin quality wise, was ****ed they didnt hace Sky Atlantic, but got over that. Not sure how Id react if we lost the free to air ones

re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

I wouldn't pay for FTA channels, I don't see how Virgin would be allowed to charge for them. Maybe they meant the HD variants, as in charge for the HD variants of the FTA channels.

re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

I cannot see Virgin dropping the FTA main channels. Certainly would not be allowed to charge for them !

re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

They must be talking about the HD channels surely.

I'd ditch them and move over to Freeview TBH, been thinking about it for a while now.

re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

I can't see this happening, to be honest with you. It would be interesting to know who commissioned this survey!

re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

It is a condition of their franchise licences that Virgin Media must carry and cannot encrypt BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel 4. Some franchise areas also include Channel 5.

In practice VM carry and do not encrypt BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 or Channel 5 in any of their franchise areas.

So, without a change in the contractual agreements with the franchise holders, this could not happen. I also think it unlikely to happen as the vast majority of cable viewing is related to these five channels and they are carried on a cost neutral basis.

Who commissioned this survey?

re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

True but does this condition include the HD channels, or could they move them into a higher package?

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

"Subscribers of pay-television channels could face higher bills if ITV succeeds in charging BSkyB and Virgin Media to carry its main channel, opponents of the proposal have warned."

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/busine...cle4165028.ece

Unfortunately you'll only be able to read the full article if you subscribe to The Times

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

If they start with this bolllox that'll be the last straw for me!

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Well there's our answer to the OP.

I, personally, wouldn't pay extra to receive them. That'd be the spur i needed to run a cable to the living room for Freeview and ditch VM tv and phone.

I wish they'd hurry up if they're going to do it, i'd save a stack of cash.

---------- Post added at 15:51 ---------- Previous post was at 15:45 ----------

Ok, found a story on it from last December. I think the transmission fees that ITV and BBC pay to sky were significantly reduced this year and may disappear altogether. ITV want to swing it the other way, as per the Times article.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...rogrammes.html

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

What a load of nonsense , how much ad revenue do viewers of ITV from the VM and Sky platform translate to ?

I'm sure if ITV were successful with this we'll see the likes of Channel 4 and the BBC expecting the same.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

This does not include the HD channels, so, in theory, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 could follow Channel 5 in putting their HD variants behind a pay wall.

From what I've read though, these proposals aren't just confined to the HD variants, but include the SD channels too. ITV want the 'must carry on cable' on a 'neutral cost' basis to be changed, so that they can charge cable (and satellite operators) for their channels. Their argument is that the vast majority of viewing on all platforms is of channels 1-5, so they should be able to charge platform owners for providing such a popular service to their customers.

This all started when the BBC, after having both it's income and liabilities increased, started questioning why they were being charged 'Platform Contribution/retransmission' fees by Sky. Their argument was that them simply having a presence on Sky attracted and retained many customers, so, if anything, Sky should be paying the BBC for being on their platform. In the end, I believe that the retransmission/platform contribution costs were slashed voluntarily by Sky for channels 1-5.

I can't see the 'must carry' clause being retained if the channels are allowed to charge for transmission.

In the unlikely event that this change is enacted, VM could take the channels off the system (unthinkable), charge for them individually (unlikely) or, more likely, absorb the costs in and amongst other day to day running costs. Of course, this may lead to higher Pay TV bills in the future if these additional costs cannot be met by efficiency savings elsewhere.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

I would keep VM for Sky sports HD and I would go to freeview for BBC STV channel 4 and 5 if vm do this don t see why they would do this

where did you hear about this what website

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

There's a Times link in post #8 and a Telegraph link in post #10.

Seeing as they have to pay Freeview to be on there i can't see them winning it.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Can really see this happening now since lg have bought into itv and I wouldn't rule out a future takeover ;)

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Unless ITV plan on leaving Freeview how on earth can they charge the likes of Sky and VM for the channels?

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

If VM are forced to do this then they should put them in a channel package so those of us who don't need them don't have to pay twice for them. I am already forced to pay the TV tax even thou i don't watch the bbc, so why should i have to pay them twice.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

You're also paying for ITV, via the increased product cost, to cover TV advertising fees.

Just like the BBC, ITV isn't free; you're just paying for it in a different way. A way you can't avoid paying (unless you purposely avoid buying anything advertised on ITV ;) )

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

There are some similar but not identical situations. In the USA, FTA channels charge the cable companies for their channels but do not charge over DTT. And some UKTV channels (Drama, Dave,Yesterday) are free on Freeview but part of basic packages on VM and Sky and so unavailable on Freesat.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Yes I have done the same survey asking if I would be prepared to pay extra to keep BBC 1,ITV1,Channel4 and Channel5,or if I would be prepared to do without these channels on virgin media. I wouldn`t pay extra for these channels when I can still get them for `free` on Freeview and Freesat. The survey pointed out that they were refering to the MAIN channels not ITV2,3,4 OR OTHER BBC channels.
Why would anyone pay extra to keep them on Virgin media? Unless you can`t receive them through your aerial or get Freesat I cannot see anyone agreeing to it.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Where is this survey ?

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

It was from a survey website I`m a member of called Inbox Surveys.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Murdoch paper story scaremongering to assist 37% Murdoch-owned BSkyB negotiations with ITV over carriage costs. Are we taking this seriously??!!

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

As an existing analogue channel, ITV were gifted capacity on Freeview. S4C were too, but ITV bought this from them. The only time ITV have to pay to be on Freeview is when this capacity is exhausted.

Good point, a lot of people seem to forget this.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Not in the slightest ;)

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

The Times is owned by NewsCorp but there was a previous article in The Telegraph as well. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...rogrammes.html

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

In 2013

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Press Input switch to a different HDMI and watch via YouView box.......simples :D

Upshot I hope the platforms don't pay them another penny.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

But for people who don't watch things live, it means buying another PVR, or using Catch-up services. (And try fast forwarding the adds on ITV Player ;))

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Agreed

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Less than 50% chance of this happening according to analysis in the paper and not before 2017 anyway...

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

oh for goodness sakes. is this only obvious to me?

VIRGIN ARE NOT GOING TO CHARGE.

What they're doing is a bit of research where everyone will answer "no of course i'd not pay more" and then they'll go to ITV with the answers and say "look nobody will pay, stick your silly plan to charge us, it's ridiculous".

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Of course......:rolleyes:

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Maybe Virgin are considering a new PVR and are looking at the options available. Couldn't Virgin develop a box similar to YouView where Freeview channels are delivered to the box via a TV aerial with all others channels being supplied to the box via Virgin cable? This would surely save Virgin Media substantial sums of money and would allow them to drive down TV package prices?

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

Hmm... Extra hardware in the box, longer installation time, higher support costs, channels would still need to broadcast on cable for the existing boxes. Doesn't sound like a saving to me.

Smallworld currently broadcast YouView over their cable network, but this will be dropped when they switch to VM TV.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

When will that happen?

By 20??.

Re: Are Virgin going to cut normal channels
 

I hope so!