LGI canvases ITV shareholders for a takeover?
 

Re: LGI canvases ITV shareholders for a takeover?
 

Its just a matter of time.....

Re: LGI canvases ITV shareholders for a takeover?
 

Interesting news!

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

With the exception of ITV Encore and HD variants of ITV 2-4 all those channels are available FTA on the likes of Freeview and Freesat.

Sky obviously weren't overly concerned about the situation considering they sold Liberty Global there 6.4% stake in ITV.

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

The point is that VM will now have its own content and it can build on these channels fairly easily.

Just because ITV 2 - 4 are currently free to air, that doesn't mean that they always will be. It was reported fairly recently that ITV were considering converting all channels complementary to the main ITV channel to subscription channels.

Whether or not ITV are still contemplating this I don't know, but new ownership could change everything.

I think it is significant also that if Liberty Global make this work, they will have the biggest commercial channel on Freeview, putting Sky's Pick TV into the shade.

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

Why would Sky want to be at the forefront of FTA TV ? :confused:

When its a pay TV platform with pay TV channels , its whole business model is built around people paying subscriptions not FTA.

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

Yes, MM but owning a free to air channel provides a good showcase for the other subscription channels owned by the company. It can be used cleverly to draw attention to popular programmes on the other channels, thereby driving up subscriptions.

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

Something must have changed as they were certainly concerned when VM tried to buy ITV a few years back. They bought a load of shares to block the move and were forced into reducing their holding by Ofcom.

Maybe, Sky realise they can do nothing to stop LG?

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

Maybe an improved working relationship ?

Sky wouldn't have been allowed to purchase 100% of ITV anyway would they ? Maybe they didn't see value in their stake.

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

Don't forget that Sky were told they had to reduce their holdings in ITV. Given this, any strategy they may have had for taking over ITV was dead in the water.

Accordingly, there was little point in Sky holding on to the shares.

Re: LGI canvases ITV shareholders for a takeover?
 

Oh goodie. More money being burned at the altar of content rather than building next generation networks. BT have started a trend.

Re: LGI canvases ITV shareholders for a takeover?
 

Networks pay back over 30+ years.

Content pays back over 5.

Re: LGI canvases ITV shareholders for a takeover?
 

Networks deliver for decades. Content delivers until the next big thing, and without networks goes nowhere.

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

Equally there's no point in having a broadcast network with no unique content to attract anyone to it.

Re: Liberty global may take over itv
 

Doesn't seem to have done VM any great harm. Didn't cause UPC in most markets any issues either. LGI have done alright for a while without owning content production in all territories.

The network itself can be a USP, as can how content is presented.

However, if it means we get shot of X-Factor and it becomes exclusive to a certain group I'm all in favour, and indeed would happily contribute financially.