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squonkster · 25-02-2007, 13:21

If Sky pull their non-subscription channels from Virgin Media/NTL then frankly there's no competition any more. VM/NTL cannot compete with Sky One at all and without it and the shows that have made Sky One a success, we all might as well get a Freeview box for the amount of choice we'll be offered.
Branson says that VM/NTL supplies Sky with Living TV (his only example) - Big Deal! Compared to Sky One with Battlestar Galactica, Lost, 24, the Stargates, Simpsons, Dresden Files and anything else that Sky either has its fingers in or has exclusivity deals, there is nothing - NOTHING - VM/NTL can offer. Without the Sky package, we would all be better off with Freeview and buying the DVD collections of the series we miss out on - it would ultimately cost all of us a damned sight less.
This entire thing is going to shoot both companies in the foot. VM/NTL offers just 3 million subscribers to add to Sky's 10 million audience, a fair amount, but one I believe that Murdock can do without. Sky maintain that they can attract up to a third of VM/NTL's customers to switch over - that's another million, and if these stations get pulled how long before FX, Hallmark, Sci Fi and others that have the odd gem on their schedules aren't also pulled.

Also, this VM on demand thing is only good if it offers stuff that people WANT to see. NTL's list of stuff it has been offering since I switched to digital is poor and it costs too much money, the free stuff wouldn't interest a dead viewer.

It's time for VM/NTL to pay the piper and absorb the costs, otherwise this huge new launch is going to sink like a stone.

25-02-2007, 13:21	#169
squonkster Inactive Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1	Re: SKY VS Virgin Media If Sky pull their non-subscription channels from Virgin Media/NTL then frankly there's no competition any more. VM/NTL cannot compete with Sky One at all and without it and the shows that have made Sky One a success, we all might as well get a Freeview box for the amount of choice we'll be offered. Branson says that VM/NTL supplies Sky with Living TV (his only example) - Big Deal! Compared to Sky One with Battlestar Galactica, Lost, 24, the Stargates, Simpsons, Dresden Files and anything else that Sky either has its fingers in or has exclusivity deals, there is nothing - NOTHING - VM/NTL can offer. Without the Sky package, we would all be better off with Freeview and buying the DVD collections of the series we miss out on - it would ultimately cost all of us a damned sight less. This entire thing is going to shoot both companies in the foot. VM/NTL offers just 3 million subscribers to add to Sky's 10 million audience, a fair amount, but one I believe that Murdock can do without. Sky maintain that they can attract up to a third of VM/NTL's customers to switch over - that's another million, and if these stations get pulled how long before FX, Hallmark, Sci Fi and others that have the odd gem on their schedules aren't also pulled. Also, this VM on demand thing is only good if it offers stuff that people WANT to see. NTL's list of stuff it has been offering since I switched to digital is poor and it costs too much money, the free stuff wouldn't interest a dead viewer. It's time for VM/NTL to pay the piper and absorb the costs, otherwise this huge new launch is going to sink like a stone.