OFCOM ready to rule? - Page 14

zantarous · 30-03-2010, 19:40

Damn you got in quick before the edit.

HDFootyMan · 30-03-2010, 20:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantarous

Damn you got in quick before the edit.

You and your time travelling powers are no match for my quick posts.

Still....with the 23 extra games Sky have from next season, they could turn around to OFCOM and say "Well, we had to put Wigan vs Bolton on SS1. We have no choice with all the extra games we have. But no worries, Man Utd vs Liverpool will be on SS4, okay?"

zantarous · 30-03-2010, 20:31

Yeah it does seem quite half arsed but at the same time if they continually move fixtures then I am sure the regulator will come down on them with even more force.

31-03-2010, 07:07

The ruling has been made public. Looks like Sky will appeal so this could run on for years and with a new government likely that will be much more sympathetic to Sky's interests.

pedg · 31-03-2010, 07:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahardie

The ruling has been made public. Looks like Sky will appeal so this could run on for years and with a new government likely that will be much more sympathetic to Sky's interests.

Except OFCOM are forcing Sky to make the changes now to which they can then appeal rather than them being allowed to go to court to postpone it. Once its in the courts any new government would find interfering tricky.

31-03-2010, 07:23

QUOTE=ahardie;34991415]The ruling has been made public. Looks like Sky will appeal so this could run on for years and with a new government likely that will be much more sympathetic to Sky's interests.

Just been a piece about this on BBC breakfast news it will apparently be appealed and will be heard by,the competition commissions appeals tribunal and could go on for years according to the expert on the programme.

On the other hand the competition commission has a reputation for being a lot tougher then ofcom but obviously there will be an election before that, though weather any politician would interfere with an ongoing competition commisssion appeal remains to be seen.

Although ultimately way down the line it could end up being taken to europe now they do not hold any candle for sky.

And of course sky would get a payback as picnic has been given the ok would have thought perhaps like ofcom, access by sky to millions of freeview customers wanting premium sports would have more then made up for a reduction in price,not to mention the extra price sky would be able to charge for ads with all those extra viewers. But sky are litigeous so and so's.

31-03-2010, 07:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedg

Except OFCOM are forcing Sky to make the changes now to which they can then appeal rather than them being allowed to go to court to postpone it. Once its in the courts any new government would find interfering tricky.

Can Ofcom really do that before the appeal? If so that is excellent news.

If they force them to give VM the HD channels though and then they win the appeal, couldn't we have a Sky basics situation again where Sky put up the price prohibitively and the channels are taken off cable?

TheDon · 31-03-2010, 07:45

So having just had a quick skim read of the full report, these are the main outcomes:

Sky sports 1 and 2 maximum pricing set.
Sky sports 1 and 2 HD having a "must offer" on "fair reasonable and non discriminatory" terms
Sky sports interactive services having a "must offer" on "fair reasonable and non discriminatory terms"

Zero change to sky movies, no must offer of sky movies HD.

Referring Sky's holding of subscriber vod rights to the competition commission as ofcom have no powers to deal with it.

In short, it's a joke of a review. The entire report sets out how Sky are abusing their position on sports and movies, and then at the end it's just a cheap cop out. That they aren't forcing a must offer on movies in sd and hd is ridiculous considering how a huge section of the report is slating sky for not offering them to other providers.

Hopefully they will refer the svod issues to the competitions commission as if VM can get their hands on the svod rights for first run movies they won't need the sky movie channels at all and they could offer a FAR superior service.

pedg · 31-03-2010, 07:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahardie

Can Ofcom really do that before the appeal? If so that is excellent news.

If they force them to give VM the HD channels though and then they win the appeal, couldn't we have a Sky basics situation again where Sky put up the price prohibitively and the channels are taken off cable?

That is my understanding from what I have read elsewhere.

IF sky win on appeal but one would hope that the evidence is fairly clear about their abuse of their dominant position then hopefully any appeal in the courts will fail.

matt_home1 · 31-03-2010, 08:04

te review also gives sky the go ahead for the picknick project, Pay TV on freeview channels. and sky want to appeal, having their cake and eat it

Acidphire21 · 31-03-2010, 08:20

ive had a quick skim through the ofcom report but must be missing the deal here

is there anything in it regarding sky sports red button?

TheDon · 31-03-2010, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acidphire21

ive had a quick skim through the ofcom report but must be missing the deal here

is there anything in it regarding sky sports red button?

Just that interactive services on sky sports 1 and 2 must be offered on "fair reasonable and non-discriminatory" terms.

Acidphire21 · 31-03-2010, 08:25

kool,

and that means what? we have to pay extra for them?

sorry if i sound a bit thick its just way too early in a morning

TheDon · 31-03-2010, 08:31

It means pretty much nothing really.

It's just weasel words to avoid having to make any actual rulings.

You could easily argue that "fair reasonable and non-discriminatory" mean they can't actually charge for them though, as if they charge on top of the set wholesale price of sports then it brings the cost of providing the same sky sports service as sky back up to unprofitable levels. It would be price discrimination if they started charging a fair amount for it.

Acidphire21 · 31-03-2010, 08:38

bugger, all i want is the red button included