Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2009)

[Media Boy UK]

STV to opt out of 6.30pm ITV network news.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/b...005845.article

[naeskydish]

STV to opt out of 6.30pm ITV network news.

That's great, about time too.

[Nook29]

I really hope the announcement MB heard about wasn't the Disney thing. Won't be pleased if it is.

[Andrewcrawford23]

Well in all fairness it is big in the sense it a triple content delivery just liek quadruple play was a bi annoucement even though it wasnt anything big to most people but i would be annoyed to if that is it

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Mobes

Was the Disney thing the "Big announcment" MB???

My Virgin insider has told me tonight that today annoucement is just one part of it.

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Media Boy EXCLUSIVE: CBS/Chellomedia - No immediate change in the carriage of the Zone channels.

locutus1974 has given me new info about CBS/Chellomedia being on Virgin TV:

NOTE: The following is from an email he got from CBS/Chellomedia:

"There will be no immediate change in the carriage of the channels. However, under the new partnership we shall continue to look to expand carriage on virgin media to include all our channels."

[sammyjayuk]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

My Virgin insider has told me tonight that today annoucement is just one part of it.

Sounds about right. Some have said that the potential sale of VMtv (Flextech) demonstrates VM’s apathy towards TV as a whole, but I think that the Disney deal and recent Cisco announcement show a renewed interest in competing at a platform level. Indeed, a multi platform level—the Cisco equipment, as I understand it, will help VM deliver content to their subscribers across TV (DVB-C and IPTV), PC and mobile. This sort of “three screen” deal provides the content rights needed, and I expect that the Disney deal is only the beginning.

After all, it’s going to take a lot more than just children’s channels to build a successful three screen platform…

Sam

[devilincarnate]

After all, it’s going to take a lot more than just children’s channels to build a successful three screen platform…

Sam[/QUOTE]

Just seen this on broadcast now !

Although details of the online element remain under wraps, a Virgin Media spokesman confirmed it would be Virgin Media-branded and the company would play host to more third-party content at a later date. There are also discussions taking place about adding content from Virgin Media’s content division Virgin Media TV, which houses channels such as Virgin 1, Bravo and Living.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/i...005795.article

[sammyjayuk]

Originally Posted by devilincarnate

Just seen this on broadcast now !

Although details of the online element remain under wraps, a Virgin Media spokesman confirmed it would be Virgin Media-branded and the company would play host to more third-party content at a later date.

Yep. Although it makes sense to host free content on the broadcaster’s web site, subscription channels need subscriber management—which pay platform providers are best placed to offer, integrated with their own pay TV services.

I do wonder what the future holds for platform branded VOD hubs—at the moment, BBC iPlayer is the only broadcaster branded hub on TV (that I’m aware of). All the broadcasters and content providers on VM’s VOD service have their own sections, of course—but they’re all very obviously Virgin Media branded. Channels tend to value their brands rather highly, and I’m surprised that, in the UK, only one broadcaster has strongly branded their presence on a VOD service.

For example, National Geographic have both VOD content and a branded interactive service on VM, but they’re completely separate from each other. I can’t imagine that NG would pass up the opportunity to strengthen their brand by integrating the two.

Sam

[Felim_Doyle]

Originally Posted by gadge

Sorry for being thick whats it got do with the general election?.

<Cynical>
Socialist government - free TV for all.
Conservative government - pay TV for all those that can afford to pay the big corporations for it.
Liberal Democrat / Green Party coalition - no TV, it's bad for your health and environmentally unfriendly. Go for a walk and smell the forest.
</Cynical>

[Media Boy UK]

BSkyB's Darroch attacks Ofcom pay-TV pricing plans.

Chief executive Jeremy Darroch criticises proposals to make Sky sell premium sports and movie channels to rivals.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009...fcom-proposals

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ITV postphone launch of ITV1 +1.

The launch of 'ITV1 +1' has been postponed until further notice.

http://tellychannelsnews.blogspot.co...ne-launch.html

[greeninferno]

OFCOM is a busted flush.

The Conservatives have already stated it will be disbanded if(in reality when) they gain power.

So forget OFCOM.

I say again if we are not receiving the same services we should not be paying the same.

End of story.

[zantarous]

Can they really get rid of OFCOM, surely you need a regulator in this industry?

[TheDon]

They won't get rid of it. They will however blunt it's teeth and get rid of a lot of it's powers.

[BenMcr]

I don't they've said they would get rid of OFCOM completely - just scale back it's remit

[sammyjayuk]

Originally Posted by greeninferno

OFCOM is a busted flush.

The Conservatives have already stated it will be disbanded if(in reality when) they gain power.

So forget OFCOM.

I say again if we are not receiving the same services we should not be paying the same.

End of story.

VM cannot charge any less than they do now, because of how much Sky charge them—as it is, VM’s profit margin for customers taking Sports/Movies is much lower than for those that don’t.

Honestly, “forget Ofcom�?! Who else can force Sky to play fair? Because they won’t, unless they’re forced to.

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t find the current situation unfair, but Sky simply won’t allow a level playing field. Somebody has to force them, and I’d very much like to know who you think will, if not Ofcom.

Sam