Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

There’s never been a source given when I asked about the “panic”.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

All I can say, Dave, is that Sky stated last year that in 2019, SA would be on all major TV platforms. We know it will be on BT later this year (via Now TV on their platform) and so it would be reasonable to assume that it will be added to Virgin following the expiry of the 10 year deal this coming summer.

It is expected that Sky UHD content would also be discussed during these carriage negotiations. I would be surprised if a deal was not done, frankly.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

The problem is “major tv platforms” doesn’t have a fixed definition.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

What is there to interpret? Virgin Media is second only to Sky.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

Sky could view themselves as the only major TV platform. The statement holds true if they take that view and it isn’t on Virgin.

You, me and this forum may take another view. I’d not be holding my breath for Sky Atlantic on the basis of a line in a Sky press release that doesn’t explicitly say there’s a deal with Virgin for it.

If Sky/Virgin had negotiated terms I’d have expected it to be available sooner.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

Sadly at the end of the current contract ends and virgin can’t get sky UHD then it will be years until we get another chance

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

I’m not sure it is like that.

This forum seems to obsess over when contracts start/end as if these are the only points where agreements can be made. While it’s the most natural point, certain things have appeared outside the cycle. Virgin are Sky’s biggest customer after all, it’d be ludicrous to only negotiate deals at set points in a cycle if there’s a deal to be made.

Sky News HD and Sports News HD launched in January 2015.
Sky Sports 3&4 and F1 in HD in May 2014
Sky Arts 1 and 2 HD in April 2011
Sky 1 HD in October 2010
Sky Sports 1&2 HD (Movies HD?) in July 2010
Basics dispute resolved in November 2008

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

No, they used the plural (all major platforms) while permitting BT to access the channel from this year (2019). History shows that we rarely get to hear of deals that are done on carriage deals between Virgin Media and the TV channels.

---------- Post added at 09:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:21 ----------

Nonetheless, there are many more examples of where nothing changes until the carriage deal expires.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

Do any of your many more examples involve Sky?

If so can you provide dates the contracts began, ended and what additional channels (if any) were added at that point?

How Sky define major TV platforms and how you define this can still vary. They could include Now TV as a platform they describe as major because they own it. It still doesn’t guarantee they mean Virgin or that we will see Sky Atlantic.

Which ten year contract expires this summer? Can you provide a source for this? Ten years doesn’t fit any of the timelines of channel launches I outlined above.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

Look even if Sky give up Sky Atlantic to VM they will just start up a new premium channel that isn't on VM which of course everyone will speculate that it will eventually be offered to VM..and around and around it goes.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

Punching through the negativism, some positive news. The Smithsonian Channel is set to launch on Virgin Media in February.

Smithsonian Networks is a joint venture between CBS Corporation's Showtime Networks, Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution.

According to Wikipedia, the network’s content is inspired by the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, research facilities and magazines. It features original non-fiction programming that covers a wide range of historical, scientific and cultural subjects.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

Any links to substantiate this OB?.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

I've not seen anything to say that it's definitely launching on VM.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

You are so argumentative!

The current distribution agreement runs until this coming May. People have been referring to it as the 'ten year agreement' because we got the Sky Basics channels back late 2008, and successive agreements have been built on that. You could have discovered that for yourself with a quick internet search, which took me all of five minutes.

https://www.virginmedia.com/corporat...agreement.html

---------- Post added at 17:14 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

I couldn't remember where I picked that up, but this link confirms it.

https://www.tvchannellists.com)

You will find it by scrolling down to 'United Kingdom', tapping on 'Virgin Media', go right down to the bottom of the page to 'Forthcoming changes to digital platforms', and it's under February. Sorry, couldn't link the actual page on here.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2019)
 

Love the sound of that. :)