Cable Forum - View Single Post - Acquisition by Sky of Virgin Media Television

MovedGoalPosts · 04-06-2010, 18:46

I woudn't be reading too much into issues for any renewal in 2019. Who knows where the TV industry will be by then, but more importantly who knows where the TV distribution industry will be in terms of their infrastructure.

BT survive quite happily without being a provider of content and just a carrier. Why shouldn't Virgin Media be free to provide the best network they can such that if the platform is right the content providers will be coming to the carrier because they can't afford not to be on that platform.

Sky already have an increasing problem. They have no decent return path. A phone line isn't really up to the job and the broadband services of custgomers is variable. That leaves many services like on demand and interactive in difficult territory for Sky and yet that is where the future pay market will probably develop. That might improve if BT do get their fibre network rolled out, but then what is that going to end up costing end users? TV is a competetive industry. I see Sky needing Virgin as much as Virgin need Sky.

The press releases are inevitably limited in detail. For the short term the real issues are how well Virgin Media and Sky are agreeing to share, at sensible cost, any additional content and channels that might become available, as well as all the existing premium and non premium HD and SD stuff.

04-06-2010, 18:46	#96
MovedGoalPosts Inactive Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: 127.0.0.1 Age: 62 Posts: 15,868	Re: Acquisition by Sky of Virgin Media Television I woudn't be reading too much into issues for any renewal in 2019. Who knows where the TV industry will be by then, but more importantly who knows where the TV distribution industry will be in terms of their infrastructure. BT survive quite happily without being a provider of content and just a carrier. Why shouldn't Virgin Media be free to provide the best network they can such that if the platform is right the content providers will be coming to the carrier because they can't afford not to be on that platform. Sky already have an increasing problem. They have no decent return path. A phone line isn't really up to the job and the broadband services of custgomers is variable. That leaves many services like on demand and interactive in difficult territory for Sky and yet that is where the future pay market will probably develop. That might improve if BT do get their fibre network rolled out, but then what is that going to end up costing end users? TV is a competetive industry. I see Sky needing Virgin as much as Virgin need Sky. The press releases are inevitably limited in detail. For the short term the real issues are how well Virgin Media and Sky are agreeing to share, at sensible cost, any additional content and channels that might become available, as well as all the existing premium and non premium HD and SD stuff.