Virgin Media News

Originally Posted by Toto

Where did you get that VM figure from?

I whould have paid that bit extra just to get the hd content if that was the case

[Toto]

Originally Posted by ufitm

I whould have paid that bit extra just to get the hd content if that was the case

Yes indeed, I'm waiting for the response to see if its fact or specualtion.

[grabbi]

DO you not remember everyone saying it would be 3p per day, per customer?

Sky said it would "be like 1 person sending a Virgin Mobile Text every day". Thats 3p.

---------- Post added at 20:58 ---------- Previous post was at 20:49 ----------

http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMos...1?pageNumber=2

Sorry, I excluded the Minimum Payment thingy, which I shouldnt have... but as I dont really understand it, then I cant comment really.

[Toto]

Its still not ringing true though, because Tiscalli are being charged about 85-89p per customer, so I'm assuming that is a per month figure per customer, which means that the so-called VM figure of 3p per day, 90p per month is way over the odds given that VM have a much larger customer base.

I'm not doubting your source, but as more figures come out about other deals with other companies, it appears more to the point that Sky were not interested in securing a deal, they simply wanted to poach VM's customers.

[grabbi]

I agree.

I think the source says that "Sky said 3p per customer" so it could have been wrong anyroad.

Plus, VM said it had the potentioal to rise to DOUBLE the quoted "3p per day per cust" thus being £520m!!!

[Toto]

I suppose only time will tell. Still, not missing Sk One at all.

[Media Boy UK]

Virgin Media and Channel 4 fear BSkyB's 17.9% stake in ITV could lead to fewer free-to-air stations and stifle competition for acquisitions and emerging technology, according to submissions to the Competition Commission published today.

The commission invited views on the move after Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading warned that Sky stake could be anti-competitive and against the spirit of public service broadcasting.

For the full story see this http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadc...StoryID=169961
Info from Broadcast.

[grabbi]

So, to put it simply, Sky could have ITV on a Subscription. SO to watch the main terrestrial stuff such as Corrie and so on, youd have to pay one of the package prices.

Anyone for £15 p/m to watch ITV, on top of the £130 per annum TV license?

£130 divided by 4 (quarters) = £33.33
£15 x 3 (months = 1 quarter) = £45

£33.33 + £45 = £78.33 per quarter.

Divided by 3 (months) = £26.11 p/m

£26.11 per month to watch and listen to the BBC and ITV. Great stuff....

Nope. Virgin Media, Channel 4 and the BBC are right to point this out, and this would again open the door for a new offer for ITV from VM, to add to the content to UKTV, VoD and bring money in from the States in content agreements with other countries, much like the BBC America offering.

BBC and VM already have a good partnership, and along with C4 also, an ITV proposal with VM coul be just the ticket, providing that Private Bid fails.

---------- Post added at 17:48 ---------- Previous post was at 17:46 ----------

EDIT: Does anyone think the England matches are now on ITV because of Sky?

[Toto]

Originally Posted by TV Boy

Virgin Media and Channel 4 fear BSkyB's 17.9% stake in ITV could lead to fewer free-to-air stations and stifle competition for acquisitions and emerging technology, according to submissions to the Competition Commission published today.

The commission invited views on the move after Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading warned that Sky stake could be anti-competitive and against the spirit of public service broadcasting.

For the full story see this http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadc...StoryID=169961
Info from Broadcast.

It seems to be one hell of an argument for the commission to force them to relinquish some or all of its voting rights.

[Media Boy UK]

Virgin Media has this week completed a deal to show Coca-Cola Football League matches on Virgin Media’s broadband and mobile platforms.

The agreement will run for two seasons and begins in time for the start of the new Coca-Cola Championship, League 1 and League 2 season on August 11.

Highlights of Football League matches will be available to watch on-demand for up to one week after transmission.
Info from Digital Spy.

[Media Boy UK]

James Murdoch said this morning that Sky is 'trying to engage' with Virgin Media's management and is 'ready to meet in the middle.'

'We have been trying to engage with Virgin's management over a resolution for our basics channels,' Murdoch told reporters today.

'[We are] ready to meet in the middle.'

When asked about rumours that Virgin Media is a potential target for a private equity takeover, he added: 'Perhaps new leadership would engage in a more real way. We would like to have a more productive relationship with current management.'

He also said that Virgin Media management had provided 'no meaningful response' to the most recent of Sky's offers.
Info from Media Guardian.

[Incomplete]

Originally Posted by grabbi

I agree.

I think the source says that "Sky said 3p per customer" so it could have been wrong anyroad.

Plus, VM said it had the potentioal to rise to DOUBLE the quoted "3p per day per cust" thus being £520m!!!

How many customers do you think VM have?

366 days in the year say x 3p / day = £10.98 / customer / year.

£260 million (your figure) / £10.98 = 23,679,417.

Now call me cynical but I don't think Virgin have nearly 24 million TV subscribers.

I'll take the £35 million figure quoted in the press most recently thanks.

EDIT: Also those 'extra' doubling costs were I believe for HD and VoD content, not randomly added on.

3p per day x 365 x 3,400,000 = £37,230,000
6p per day x 365 x 3,400,000 - £74,460,000

[Media Boy UK]

The battle for Virgin Media intensified last night as Providence, the American buyout firm, instructed advisers to prepare an offer for the $22 billion (£11 billion) television and broadband group.

Providence is understood to have joined with KKR, [ who owned Boots ]; Blackstone and Cinven to enter the auction for the cable operator.

Other private equity groups are understood to be considering joining the fray.

Virgin Media confirmed last week that it had received an approach from Carlyle, whose $33 to $34-a-share offer values the company at $23 billion including its £6 billion of debt.

Rivals insist that their offers will not top that price.

Factors including the volatility in the debt markets would give bidders ammunition for ruling out a higher offer, they said.

However, sources dismissed those claims as an attempt to talk down the price.

Related LinksPrivate equity targets Virgin Media BSkyB recruits Virgin customers Sky shrugs off Virgin and puts on a show Carlyle, which declined to comment, is unlikely to welcome the competition.

The group had sought to secure a period of exclusivity with Virgin.

It is thought to have felt that its offer put a full value on the cable group, which has struggled to fulfil its aim of becoming a formidable player in the home communications market.

However, Virgin’s confidence about securing interest elsewhere has led it to insist on a formal auction run by its advisers, UBS and Goldman Sachs.

They are seeking to increase the competitive tension by drumming up interest from US cable giants such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable.

Interested companies are to be invited in shortly for presentations from Virgin Media’s management with a deadline for first-round indicative offers set for some time in August.

It is understood that Carlyle has not yet had access to the Virgin figures and has received no formal acknowledgement of its offer beyond a brief meeting with management.

However, the buyout house is thought to remain confident about its chances.

A Providence-led group first approached Virgin, which was then still called NTL, last year, with an offer of about $30 a share.

The group’s approach was thwarted by factors including opposition from Bill Huff, the New Jersey hedge-fund investor.

Carlyle is understood to be working alone, although it is open to leading a consortium.

Interest from Apax, which had held talks with it about joining forces, is understood to be waning.

In an attempt to prevent groups of private equity operators joining forces at a later stage Virgin’s advisers are expected to lay down rigid nondisclosure clauses for participants.

KKR, Blackstone and Cinven declined to comment.

For More See this: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle2072690.ece
Info from The Times Online.

[grabbi]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

3p per day x 365 x 3,400,000 = £37,230,000
6p per day x 365 x 3,400,000 - £74,460,000

Sorry. My maths isnt what it used to be.

I did think that it was 10m VM customers in total, not just TV Customers. :S

My bad! lol