Virgin Media & UKTV+ITV Channels
 

Reports suggest that VM could lose the rights to show UKTV's 10 channels including Gold, Drama and Dave from Sunday.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...-in-rights-row

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Is this gonna happen????? The place cards r up! Hope it's a scare tactic 'cos I will be pissed >:(

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Sounds true, on Drama a thing pops up saying from 21st July channel will be replaced by YouTV and Gold is being replaced by Paramount Classic HD. Really hope they manage to secure a deal at the last minute.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Surely not ! those are the channels I mostly watch outside of terrestial ! Will expect a price reduction, guess i'll be disappointed.

Probably brinkmanship till the last minute, when a deal is done, seems to be the way with these channel disputes.

At least Drama and Dave are on freeview - guess i'll have to dust my old hard drive recorder down

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

So if UKTV channels go where will they get any viewers to fast forward through the ads? It's lost revenue which ever way you look at it.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Looks like this is going to happen its a great shame for those who watch UK TV channels, but if you have access to freeview, you will still be able to watch a lot of the channels.
Unfortunately, Watch, Alibi and Gold are not among them.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I may have to seriously look into a Sky deal if they lose Gold, anyone know of any Sky offers as i have never had Sky before?

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I'm sure someone on another forum posted that Gold was being removed from Now TV shortly but I'm not sure if that's true.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

ATM there is no truth in that rumour.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I have watched the odd programme on Drama and last year I recorded a series that was on W, but to be honest, most of the content is quite old and almost everything shown are repeats.

So I will not miss these channels at all, but I feel sorry for those whose staple diet of TV viewing consists of archive material.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Many people have varied diets less you forget..;)

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I know that, Den, I was just pointing out that these channels consist almost entirely of programmes that have been broadcast before (often many, many times).

People are saying, for example, that they will not be able to warch Quantico, which is, actually a good series. However, it was shown on Sky Living only last year.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

One of the issues that has been raised by Virgin Media is that UKTV are increasingly airing programmes from their subscription channels (W, Gold, Alibi, Good Food and Eden) on their free channels (Dave, Drama, Really, Yesterday and Home) which continually devalues them.

All of their free channels are now available on Freeview and Freesat, so what Virgin Media will be looking for as valuable to them is the exclusive content on the 5 subscription channels (and not the 5 free channels) plus HD variants and on demand content.

They have probabably determined that since their last deal in 2016 the value of UKTV is substantially less so they want to pay substantially less and that seems fair enough.

It will do a lot of damage to both parties if they cannot come to an agreement, but it's a very valid argument.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Presumably stuff already recorded will be able to view ? I know you can't do this with premium channels once unsubscribed, but I guess uktv recordings will be ok ?

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Glad I put a Freeview antenna up in the loft as a backstop. Some of the repeats are worth re-watching but I'll miss the HD varients.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

It happened with sky many years back when all channels were pulled for a long time so I see no reason why it won't bar a last-minute compromise

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Serve VM right if all their customers get an aerial and decide they don't need VM at all any longer !

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Mr K you are so nasty and wicked sometimes.;):D

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Well, although people living in flats often do not have that option, I do find it surprising that more people don't have a working aerial as back-up. Freeview is, well, free, and they have a good channel line-up. Pay-tv should be supplementing that, but of course they duplicate a lot of it.

If VM provided us with a Freeview service (just as you can watch live tv on Now TV) with an on demand option, there would be no need for Virgin to include UKTV channels within its EPG. Just go to livetv and watch it that way, or alternatively VM could do a deal with Freesat. I'm surprised that hasn't happened already, actually.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

just spoke with cancellations team at vm the uktv channels are going from sunday you can cancel penalty free as long as you do not like or agree with replacement channels this is not looking good for vm or uktv as vm loose channels and uktv loose cash from adverts and other crap lol

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

From http://www.virginmedia.com/shop/tv/tvupdate.html

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

ta Spider, a busy weekends recording for tivo then !

I suspect this will be sorted soon as the repercussions for VM and UKTV are major.

---------- Post added at 14:47 ---------- Previous post was at 14:42 ----------

Actually it surprising what you can get with an indoor aerial. I'm not in a particularly strong signal area, but if you get a cheap aerial, position right near a window it will pick a lot of freeview up. Fortunately still also have the main aerial on the house, bleeding gigantic thing it is too, the birds love it !

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Had a replacement Ariel put up a few years ago when they moved a lot of the channels which required a wide band antenna , also for a backstop. I also kept my freeview recorder just incase.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I can't get freeview unless I get an arial put on the house, which my council will be hared to get them to agree.

I watch alibi for Murdoch Mysteries & the new series of Death in Paradise wchich is due to start on the 8th Aug.

I found after a brief search the ability to stream it.

But would prefer the HD channel

I tried to look into NowTV but that doesn't say what channels you get for free.


https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/uktv-...s-axe-12953192

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I get full Freeview HD from the original aerial that was put in the loft back in the 1970's. I also have a small powered indoor aerial in my son's room that picks up all of Freeview HD as well.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

You don't get any Now TV live channels free unless you have a Freeview aerial and use a Now TV Smart box which will get you all the Freeview channels.
You can get various mainstream broadcaster apps on any of the Now TV boxes free which includes the UKTV app however that will only include on demand content from Dave, Really, Yesterday and Drama,
however even if you don't subscribe to Now TV you will have to register an account and payment card with them to get any of their devices working.

I can't help thinking this situation will be resolved very quickly, VM will not want to lose those channels and UKTV will not want to lose the carriage fees, but if its not a quick resolution then UKTV should be allowed to develop apps for Tivo and V6 so the content remains available to VM customers but UKTV takes the advertising and or subscription revenues and the responsibility for maintaining those apps.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Well if they go I think I'll be moving on.Getting sick of all the 'reality' fluff as well.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

TV player have Alibi albeit not in HD

https://tvplayer.com/plus

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Death in Paradise is on BBC - are you saying the next series will only be on alibi?

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Well, this isn’t a nice surprise... We watch quite a bit of Dave, love some of the original comedy such as Taskmaster, Red Dwarf etc.

Better start taking a look at Sky offers... Wonder how much our VM bill will go down just removing the TV..

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

It's going to make their next inevitable price rise a hard sell.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Agree. I don't really watch the channels that are being lost. However I assume that the channels that they are going to replace them with were not originally seen as fit to be on Virgin Media? If so by comparison the quality of the product has dropped. If the try and hike prices again they can ram it right up their V6 box

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Their phone lines will be on fire if that happens..

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I assume that if the channels become unavailable after Sunday, any recordings will not be playable afterwards as well. Just as with other channels where if you subscribe to a channel and then unsubscribe, recordings are no longer playable.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Available for 3 months according to Spiderplant, get recording !!

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Just checked the schedule of 'YourTV' - they should rename it 'Bones&CastleTV'

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

High quality content they say...

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

All of the UKTV channels have already been removed from Box Sets and Catch Up on my Virgin TV V6 box, and the red button UKTV Play app has been disabled too... it's started!

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

So has the VM exodus. Muppets.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

As much I can understand some upset , I really don't think losing a few channels will result in an Exodus;)

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Has anyone phoned up yet to cancel? if so have they tried to offer you any deals/money off?

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Last minute all out sabre rattling l reckon as the turn off does not start until midnight on Sunday.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Why is everyone loosing it? What programs are folk going to miss on those channels? I never watch them

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Considering Dave, GOLD and Good Food are 3 of VM's best-watched channels away from the usual one's an awful lot of people are not happy

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I guess it depends which channels you watch. Some get very excited about the prospect of Sky Atlantic, personally couldn't give a toss about it. I suspect UKTV viewers might be more senior, paying over the odds, have been with VM for years and very valuable to VMs profits.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I guess your right, not the netflix generation

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

What's 'netflix'? ;)

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Remember one man's meat is another man's poison.

---------- Post added at 20:31 ---------- Previous post was at 20:30 ----------

A considerable amount are not interested in it.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Not me personally, but in my household Albi, Watch (for all the Tipping Points), and sometimes Drama, are watched everyday - all day.

It's a big deal for us.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

The support forum has gone ballistic. About the the first 30 threads on the tv forum is on this subject. Don't know how true this is but somebody has mentioned VM viewers spend 25% of time on UKTV channels. And this is from people that know about it advance, I've heard nothing from VM, just read it on here. Wouldn't like to be on the VM phones on Monday morning when the rest find out.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I watch programmes on Gold every day and when I have been through my series links there was 3 set up for programs on W. You sometimes won't realise a program you follow is on one of the channels you don't watch a great deal. I have got around Gold by getting a Now TV entertainment pass but nothing I can do about W. It is annoying that I have to use another device to watch Gold. Hopefully Virgin media and UKTV will come compromise in the end.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

So Virgin claims the BBC is witholding on demand, and UKTV says the fallout is because Virgin is cutting the amount it's willing to pay them. Where does the truth lie? Somewhere in the middle is my guess.

The 2016 BBC carriage deal with UKTV included 10,000 hours of on demand content, including Only Fools and Horses (see here). OFAH is BBC content of the type Virgin says UKTV can't provide. So at some point in the past two years, UKTV seems to have lost the rights to on demand BBC archive programmes. If the BBC gave UKTV no option to renew the on demand rights, I can see why Virgin would be upset with the BBC.
That to me would not be a failure on Virgin's side and if they are getting less from UKTV, why wouldn't they expect to pay less?

Of course, the same could be said for the customers too!

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Exactly right. Instead of keeping the rights with UKTV, a venture I hasten to add the BBC are part of, they sold the rights to Netflix, assumedly as they would make more money.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I would imagine it's a combination. If BBC are withholding the on demand rights, then Virgin won't want to pay top money for the channels only. It's a deadlock situation that will hopefully be solved sooner rather than later.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

This scenario is helping to highlight the value of streaming services.

A combination of NOW TV, TV Player and Freeview will almost replicate Virgins main entertainment line up minus +1 and HD channels plus music channels. If your not a fan of sports and movies streaming services are looking like a real value alternative.

The TV Player annual pass, which includes all UKTV channels, is £79.99. Alternatively it's £7.99 per month. NOW Entertainment passes are being sold at £15.00 for 3 months or £25.00 for 5 months. You can get both for as little as £11.66 per month.

You'll need to shell out on new equipment, especially if you want to record content. You can pick up a YouView box for £125.00, or considerably cheaper if you are happy to go second hand. A ROKU stick, which supports both NOW TV and TV Player will set you back £29.99. A sore outlay up front but could be worth it in the long term.

For fans of HD it's not all bad news making the switch. Freeview offers 15 HD channels, NOW TV 12 in 720p and TV Player 3. NOW TV have confirmed streams will be jumping up to 1080p and TV Player are looking to add more HD channels soon. 30 HD channels in total now but easily 40 in the next 12 months.

Both NOW TV and TV Player offer extensive catch up services for their channels and TV Player offer 10 hours of cloud recording with their subscription. NOW TV also offers a massive selection of box sets so whilst you may not always be able to record the shows you'd like, you certainly don't need to miss them.

The real bonus of having both Youview and Roku is the world of apps it opens you up to. BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, MY5, UKTV Play, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hayu, WWE Network etc...

Just think whenever a new channels launches on Freeview you'll have it from day 1. If SKY launches a new channel you're very likely to have it from the start on NOW TV. You'll have more chance of accessing the next big entertainment app from the start also. You'll no longer have to wait months, sometimes years to get the latest entertainment.

It's worth a thought.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

TV player has all the UKTV channels and offers 10 hrs of recording for around £7.99 a month

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Thank you for letting me know. Maybe I will phone VM tomorrow if we do loose the channels and try to get a £7.99 discount temporarily to cover the cost.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

This will be the last straw with VM after being with them for 25+ years... :(

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Never watch these channels - mostly repeats - not sure what all the fuss is about.

However I will be happy when Virgin reduce my subscription to compensate me for the loss.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

You could be waiting a long time if you think they are going to compensate you.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Red button function form UKTV channels has gone?!? Just says please use ‘left’ button to go back to live tv!

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

It was removed yesterday evening

---------- Post added at 09:36 ---------- Previous post was at 09:25 ----------

More likely to see a rise this autumn with a claim they've improved your TV service ;)

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Just some of the headlines and comments from yesterday.

https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/...annels-3512591

Tweeted to Virgin Media

Virgin Media viewers are losing access to a lot of good shows.

https://www.techradar.com/news/virgi...-of-good-shows

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/uktv-...s-axe-12953192

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I had a look at my series links, and the only programme I will miss is a medical drama on W.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Looks inevitable that even if a deal is arrived at, there will be a gap where they are unavailable. That would also mean messing around with the channel numbers yet again.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

VM could be waiting a long time to get lost customers back. Understand some don't watch these channels, it's good to have a choice. When VM didn't have Sky 1, didn't bother me, didn't watch anything on it.

But the audience for these 10 channels is 25% of VM viewers time. It might be an audience who don't do social media or streaming, but who do pay VM a reliable amount year after year. I still wouldn't be surprised if a deal is done quickly such is the backlash.. VM could use it as an excuse for a price rise if it keeps them happy.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Do they seriously think these so called new channels will cut it? I'm a regular viewer of some UK TV channels, not all, so will feel the impact of them not being there!

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Yes 'Britains Top Model' is not a replacement for 'Juliet Bravo' !?:rolleyes:

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Juliet Bravo is a great series Mr K in our household.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Well it is on Drama Den, so if you can get hold of Freeview ? If you don't have an outside aerial, Just stick a cheap portable aerial into the back of yourTV and see what happens, get it near a window if poss. (best to get from Argos, so easily taken back if nothing happens !)

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

It's a stupid move.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Kodi reigns supreme! :)

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

What is this Freeview Explore on the Smart TV as can you get it through that?.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Haven't a clue, try it and see? It might just be promotion for Freeview.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

It has UK TV Play on there as a app which has catch up and on demand content.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Think about it. How can that even be possible?

Try this:
https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/...channel-group/

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Something heard on the official forum, tbh it wouldn't surprise me if it's excluding the main terrestrial channels.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

As I said on the other thread, VM told me yesterday that the viewing figures for the channels aren't that great and they didn't want to pay UKTV's prices for the channels. No mention was made of on demand, so I'd suggest that's a little white lie put out by their PR people.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Smoke and mirrors by both sides one suspects.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Indeed, as is always the case in these matters.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Like many others on here I wasnt impressed that (with pretty little advance notice) we are losing the UKTV channels. My family and i do watch some of the shows on these channels.

The replacement channels coming i didnt feel fully compensated the loss. As a sports fan Freesports will hold a small interest as will the 2 month offer of Premier Sport HD (shame this couldnt be put permanently into a bundle).

Apart from that it is a mix of a couple of brand new channels (most already available on freeview) and channels already available to me (I am on Full House + sport bundle)

This and the regular price hikes has made me feel I am not getting as much value for my (quite considerable) outlay.

I contacted Sky and got an offer for a TV package similar (minus BT sport) to my VM one. Sky'sBB cant compare to my VM so i also got a price for BT BB + BT Sport. The total price came to just less than my current deal. But worth looking into leaving VM I thought.

I currently pay £105 pm for Full House + Sky Sports (not HD) + talk anytime + 200BB with 2 V6 boxes and a Tivo.

I decided to call VM retentions. I politely explained why i was looking to move.
The chap was very helpful and without too much effort I got the following deal on a 12 month contract

Upgrade to VIP bundle -so Sky Sports + Movies in HD and 350 BB and upgrade to top phone package -kept my existing 3 boxes all for £96 pm saving me almost a tenner a month for quite a bit more. I did not say yes immediately so i was then offered a one off £50 credit as i am a long standing customer.

Could I have got more?? I dont know but to be fair I had got a reduction to my bill and gained in my view significantly more value. I had gained as much as i would have hoped. I work out i save £160 over the next 12 months.

I have stayed with VM. I can still access some (not all) of the UKTV channels on my freesat and freeview so reasonably happy.

My advice is if you are not happy with what has happened do a little bit of research, look at other providers and give VM a ring and so what they will do to keep you. No need to get angry and shout just let them know you are unhappy and you may get a better deal than what you have.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I've been in touch with Sky and been offered a rather nice deal. 3 boxes, sky sports and all for about a tenner less.

Virgin Media have hiked the prices up massively above inflation since the new owners took over. And then to go to UKTV and want the channels on the cheap? The new owners are so determined to increase profit that they're providing a lacklustre service as a result.

Anyone know a sky tv forum similar to here?

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

There is Digital Spy where you get a lot of Sky TV threads on there but DS pales into comparison compared to the great and the good on here Vince.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Once you create a sky account there's a forum on the sky.com site.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Vince. My advice is to go through to retentions and tell them you have a better deal from Sky. I would be surprised if they did not try to better it. Also note there will likely be some set up fees from Sky. When I spoke to them this morning she waived some but i would still have had over £160 to shell out.

I should have pointed out in my earlier post that the price VM have done for me is locked in and protects me from any price increase during this period so potentially saving a bit more.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Virgin Media's latest tweet puts a new perspective on things, but they are getting a terrible response from customers:

https://twitter.com/virginmedia/stat...39574597529600

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

More smoke and mirrors as its a bit like modern day politicians who obfuscate rather then giving us a honest answer.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

UKTV's response

https://twitter.com/UKTV/status/1020344158219796481

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Well, if there is no deal with UKTV, VM could surely relieve some of the anger by making the TV Player available as an app. They could even do a deal with TV Player so that VM viewers received all programming free of charge.

As I mentioned before, they could also provide access to You View so that VM viewers could get access to the Freeview channels that way, although some of the UKTV content would still be missing as the premium channels are not included.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

I bet Sky are loving this just imagine the amount of new customers they could sign up over the coming day's. They are very active on the Virgin Media/UKTV tweets atm

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Utterly predictable...

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Yes.

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=92

:)

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Virgin Media have notified customers ? When ?

Posted this up on main page as news. https://www.cableforum.uk/article/57...-uktv-channels

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

This thread is the first inkling we've had of this.:(

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Official UKTV
‏
Verified account

@UKTV
13m
13 minutes ago


More
Replying to @cdmk_catlady @virginmedia
Sadly, they wanted all 10 of our channels for free, and whilst we'd love to keep bringing @virginmedia customers our channels, we can't do it for nothing :(

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

There are always two sides to a story like this.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Isn't it the Freeview ones they might want for free.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

yes just wish they stop arguing and sort it out

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

Pretty shambolic l would say from Virgin Media and that is being kind.

Re: VM loses UKTV channels
 

They want their heads banging together. It is us customers who suffer. They could as a compromise have let us keep the free to air on other platform channels while a deal is sorted for the others but no totally livid at Virgin and Uktv