Acquisition by Sky of Virgin Media Television

[Ignitionnet]

BSkyB are happy, Virgin Media are happy, more importantly the investors of both are happy. It's a deal that benefits both companies. Virgin get interactive and HD content along with getting shot of some of their unwanted content division as they push on towards being a pure distributor of content, VMTV gets the expertise, experience and production resources of Sky, Sky increase their portfolio of channels and, most relevant to them, get Virgin 1's Freeview slot.

Be under no allusion, Sky really wanted the Virgin 1 Freeview slot

I struggle to see a downside beyond paranoid people thinking that Sky are going to go out of their way to screw over Virgin Media and in the process get the Competition Commission slapping them down and probably forcing structural separation on them as the kind of abuses of their vertical integration required to do so would certainly get some most unwanted attention.

[JHM]

Originally Posted by hansi

I just tried, but it won't accept my ntlworld address!!

Same for me, has anyone with an ntlworld email address suceeded in registering? Or is it just not accepting ntlworld addresses?

--John

[nialli]

Those who think that Sky are now in a dominating position with the pay channels should remember that with those ex-VM channels, Sky's share of the UK audience soars from 7% to ... 10%. Advertising share from 16% to 19.5%. Hardly a quantum shift. Now if Murdoch Jnr's plans for ITV had taken off, that would be different, but these are small channels and best sold by Virgin, especially with the HD, red button and on demand stuff soon to flow our way.

[mertle]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

BSkyB are happy, Virgin Media are happy, more importantly the investors of both are happy. It's a deal that benefits both companies. Virgin get interactive and HD content along with getting shot of some of their unwanted content division as they push on towards being a pure distributor of content, VMTV gets the expertise, experience and production resources of Sky, Sky increase their portfolio of channels and, most relevant to them, get Virgin 1's Freeview slot.

Be under no allusion, Sky really wanted the Virgin 1 Freeview slot

I struggle to see a downside beyond paranoid people thinking that Sky are going to go out of their way to screw over Virgin Media and in the process get the Competition Commission slapping them down and probably forcing structural separation on them as the kind of abuses of their vertical integration required to do so would certainly get some most unwanted attention.

Yes at this point everybody a winner but here is the issue what happens when sky lose churn to virgin media.

They wont take that lying down and there real danger this could happen to sky. Especially if people was so bothered about red button HD sky content to move to Sky for these features. In sense this much a dangerous move for sky in someways if they lost these as bargaining tool to get sky subscribers.

If you take both platforms sky benefits are small compared HD/red button but VM has the vod service. This now basiclly mean sky could lose subscribers.

If the next five years there customer base shrinks to any significant levels there next spat will be swift and VM will be in a real mess. There lies why its dangerous for virgin media allowing Sky control of content. VM taking a risk allowing a rival the power to remove significant british viewing content. Also putting alot of faith that OFCOM and other regulation bodies to keep SKY playing ball. These organisations did not stop sky removing channels before. If sky lose 3-4 million to virgin I cant see sky doing nothing and wounded company with sky reputation is a dangerous animal.

This is my fear its like a trogan horse bearing gifts.

Like someone mentioned and its a good point they dont care about the channels just the freeview slot and I suspect for there picnic.

If they get picnic out and ruin freeview making it worthless then they win same time they control VM content weaken they position and Digital has only one platform SKY.

This the big picture in sky mind but people dont see it sadly.

Its not about now its about future domination of digital television.

[Ignitionnet]

Sorry, that post doesn't really make sense.

5 years from now the two will be in the middle of a 9 year agreement so nothing will happen.

Virgin 1 is a single Freeview slot, Sky won't kill off Freeview they just want to pimp premium content through it.

Sky won't lose 3 - 4 million to Virgin, that's silly numbers and would require basically every Sky subscriber in a VM passed area to switch.

Lastly Sky don't exist to serve as many direct customers as possible, they exist to make their shareholders as much money as possible. Whether they do this through retail sales or a combination of retail sales and wholesale doesn't matter. They will be expecting to lose some customers but likewise will expect this loss of revenue to be more than compensated through increased ad and wholesale revenue.

That's the big and the small picture in the Sky mind, shareholder value, nothing to do with 'domination'. Excessively monopolistic behaviour would just get regulators from Ofcom upwards through the Competition Commission and the EC jumping on them and Sky really aren't that stupid. They pick fights with regulators because it's their duty to their shareholders to do everything possible to resist the regulation, not to commit suicide and get split into at least two sections - broadcaster and content provider.

[Amelia]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

BSkyB are happy, Virgin Media are happy, more importantly the investors of both are happy.

Be under no allusion, Sky really wanted the Virgin 1 Freeview slot

.

And the evidence of the above is where?

[Mikey1981]

Damn I have joined this group late.

My Thoughts on what I have read so far.

I think this is a good deal for all parties, Sky have got loads of HD subscribers now, and it is likely the ones with Sports/Movies will keep there channels and the ones who dont subscribe to those premium channels probably never will except for maybe Xmas. For Sky this is an excellent opportunity to gain extra income from Virgin's Sky premium hd subscribers, money that chances are they would'nt get unless they allowed for said content to be provided on VM's platform. For us this means the HD channels we have all craved for a long time now are really COMING SOON.

I admit I hope there is no extra charge for these services and I will keep my fingers crossed.

For those concerned about Virgin1 I quietly think Virgin were struggling with this station and Chuck fans like myself this is the last season anyway. Also dont expect Sky to strip the quality from these channels and place on their own, because a) these are sky channels now & b) they would want to promote their vast choice of channels not one amazing one and hundreds are poor channels.

Tna Wrestling may need a new home, there is no way WWE will allow Sky to show their competition on one of there channels. ESPN may step in here, Spike show both TNA and UFC in the States, TNA in HD (sort of) ESPN's HD has been poor since launch.

Comedy Central HD would be great but there is very little HD content on there(Scrubs season 8 only, 30 Rock, Two & a Half, South Park, Rules of Engagement and Sam Who & The Office), other shows Raymond, King of Queens, Frasier etc are all SD only.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Amelia

And the evidence of the above is where?

Which sentence, the first one or the second one?

If the second one, Sky have been chasing Freeview slots for years, Google Sky Picnic, if the first sentence they both agreed to it and analysts have said it was a mutually beneficial deal.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/65fb9ae6-7...44feabdc0.html

British Sky Broadcasting's £160m purchase of seven channels owned by Virgin Media is a good deal for both parties, analysts and bankers said yesterday.

From the above link is something many who like phoning up to get stuff for free will adore, perhaps another thing for you to phone up for

"We think this greatly improves the chances for Virgin actually to charge for HD as a separate part of its offering to customers, which will have a significant effect on ARPU [average revenue per user]," Toby Syfret, of Enders Analysis, said.

[djmagnifique]

Originally Posted by Mr. Garibaldi

Just a thought I wonder what will happen to TNA, will SKY keep it on bravo or will it upset there contract with the WWE.

if sky drop tna from bravo then it might get picked up by extreme tv as they have been showing the TNA PPV's and TNA xplosion (a cut down 1hr version of impact and highlights from previous shows) http://tvguide.extreme.com/search.php

[howardmicks]

Mikey1981 dont know where you get your info from,But This aint the last season of chuck and regards to TNA,Bravo only signed a new deal with tna recently so that aint gonna be going anywhere soon.

[Mikey1981]

Sorry Chuck was on the bubble and was going to be cancelled they filmed two different season 3 endings because of this, I am a fan of the show. Regardless of Bravo's recent deal the channel has a new owner I would be suprised if they conitune to show after this deal goes through, I hope not on extreme as the sd picture quality is awful.

[HDFootyMan]

I would expect to see Chuck on Sky 1.

With both 24 and Lost ending, they will need stuff to fill the gap.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by Sirius

I just love someone who thinks he knows it all. Do you work for them, I doubt it. If you did you would know who's name is on the pay slips, Who's name are on the invoices we pay to contractors, whose name is on the deliveries of spares from our suppliers. I answer the phone as Virgin Media, When i visit a customers site i tell them i am from Virgin Media. Oh and the insurance for my company car is in the name of virginmedia, My tax form says i work for Virgin media, I could go on all day. As for you keep saying we are NTL all you want but your the one that look stupid nearly everyone i talk to says do you work for Virginmedia.

---------- Post added at 14:12 ---------- Previous post was at 14:11 ----------



No why would they. They don't have access to the network. They don't have access to the headends and they don't have access to the computer systems. Bit of a strange question.

I was merely referring to the ownership & control of the company but your right I don't work for VM.

[piquet41]

Originally Posted by Ben B

Pre-register your interest for Sky Sports and Movies HD Channels here: http://www.virginmediaentertainment....D/Default.aspx

Hi. Ben B; BenMcr; DF..... could one of you please tell us why those of us with an ntl: e-mail address can't register?

Has anyone with an ntl: e-mail address had any success??

VMT.

[daveetwo]

Originally Posted by piquet41

Hi. Ben B; BenMcr; DF..... could one of you please tell us why those of us with an ntl: e-mail address can't register?

Has anyone with an ntl: e-mail address had any success??

VMT.

Worked for me okay and got an email response as well.