General : Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 5.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I also don't think non essential VM staff would appreciate being asked to go into work first thing New Years Day to change the encryption level!

Fortunately most changes can be done remotely. If things need to be done during the change freeze, they are. IIRC there was a channel rename on January 1st this year.

Slightly concerned by your use of the term "non-essential" though

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Confirmed: Christmas comes early on Movies 24.

Movies 24 will magically transforms into Christmas 24 from 3rd November to 4th January.

https://www.facebook.com/Christmas24movies

It's not Christmas until you see this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=356GGdAlQ0A

---------- Post added at 23:17 ---------- Previous post was at 23:11 ----------

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I find it odd that this is only until 31 December. Maybe that's when the carriage agreement ends and VM have secured a variation in the contract until then to move the channels down to M+??

If this is the case, I'd expect the channels to remain in M+ from 1 January 2014 onwards. I also don't think non essential VM staff would appreciate being asked to go into work first thing New Years Day to change the encryption level! (unless this can be programmed in advance). When does the non essential freeze on changes end this/next year?

I could be wrong and it may be that it is the decision of VM as to which pack a basic channel goes into. I say this because I know that Sky were extremely annoyed that VM initially put Sky 1 into the free M TV pack. This only changed when Sky and VM agreed carriage terms for Sky 3/Pick TV and this channel replaced Sky 1 to align it with the freeview service that M TV broadly reflects.

CBS reality , CBS Drama , Horror , CBS Action and the relevant +1s are in the M pack at the moment.

[ocav]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I find it odd that this is only until 31 December. Maybe that's when the carriage agreement ends and VM have secured a variation in the contract until then to move the channels down to M+??

If this is the case, I'd expect the channels to remain in M+ from 1 January 2014 onwards. I also don't think non essential VM staff would appreciate being asked to go into work first thing New Years Day to change the encryption level! (unless this can be programmed in advance). When does the non essential freeze on changes end this/next year?

I could be wrong and it may be that it is the decision of VM as to which pack a basic channel goes into. I say this because I know that Sky were extremely annoyed that VM initially put Sky 1 into the free M TV pack. This only changed when Sky and VM agreed carriage terms for Sky 3/Pick TV and this channel replaced Sky 1 to align it with the freeview service that M TV broadly reflects.

Well there is a strong rumour on here that there may be significant changes to packages, which would give these channels reason to stay free until this happens.

Also the fact a few of them are FTA on DSAT may also be a reason for keeping them free for longer than previously planned

[Chad]

Originally Posted by HDFootyMan

If VM got the UK versions of those channels, what exactly do people expect on those channels?

I'd expect to see a mixture of back catalogue shows and stuff not currently picked up in the UK. Through time, as current broadcast deals expire and new shows are created, the UK versions of each channel will start to feel more and more like it's American cousin.

BBC America for example is nothing like what broadcasts here:

http://www.bbcamerica.com/schedule/

Maybe ABC, CW and USA Network would make more money from an exclusive carriage deal for their channels, and advertising revenue on those channels, than by selling their shows to existing UK broadcasters?

[Media Boy UK]

Confirmed: Lifetime to launch on November 4th.

Overnights.tv has confirmed that Lifetime will launch on November 4th replacing Bio. on Virgin Channel 242.

http://overnights.tv/public/content/News.aspx

Still no news on if Lifetime +1 will also launch on November 4th on Virgin Media.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Fortunately most changes can be done remotely. If things need to be done during the change freeze, they are. IIRC there was a channel rename on January 1st this year.

Slightly concerned by your use of the term "non-essential" though

Like most companies, i'm sure that VM only insist on essential staff going into work on the main days over the festive period.

Originally Posted by theone2k10

It's not Christmas until you see this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=356GGdAlQ0A

---------- Post added at 23:17 ---------- Previous post was at 23:11 ----------



CBS reality , CBS Drama , Horror , CBS Action and the relevant +1s are in the M pack at the moment.

ohhh, I thought they'd gone down to M+. I wonder if VM are trying to make TV M the best of both Freesat and freeview??

True Movies should be in M, I don't know how they have the cheek to scramble it

[MalteseFalcon]

So is Bio shutting completely? Shame if it is, I have watched some good stuff on there in the past.

[ocav]

Originally Posted by MarkC1984

So is Bio shutting completely? Shame if it is, I have watched some good stuff on there in the past.

Most likely, they shut down Bio HD a while back which kind of signals the end of a channel to me.

But it could mean the launch of History HD and CI HD (surprised Lifetime won't get a HD counterpart, seems kind of pointless not launching in HD)

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by ocav

Most likely, they shut down Bio HD a while back which kind of signals the end of a channel to me.

But it could mean the launch of History HD and CI HD (surprised Lifetime won't get a HD counterpart, seems kind of pointless not launching in HD)

It does seem strange not to launch Lifetime HD at the same time.

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by Chad

Maybe ABC, CW and USA Network would make more money from an exclusive carriage deal for their channels, and advertising revenue on those channels, than by selling their shows to existing UK broadcasters?

Quite possibly but what they would definitely be able to do is schedule the programmes as they see fit and that may be one of the reasons behind this move, if it happens.

As an example, Breaking Bad. One of the best shows to come out of the States in years, but on what channel can you see this on? None. Now it is on netflix now, but there were years that no channel aired this show due to poor ratings when it used to be on fx. The fact that when it did air it was on at midnight, might be a reason for the poor ratings...

Sony, the maker of Breaking Bad, were reported to be very unhappy that their most prestigious show was not getting scheduled correctly. So this may be a reason why the major US broadcasters want to have their own channels in the UK.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by MarkC1984

So is Bio shutting completely?

Yes.

Lifetime has been confirmed as launching on Virgin Channel 242.

[freakgirl]

To be fair Bio hasn't really been Bio for some time now, used to watch that channel a lot with all their profiles on film stars etc, but last couple of years it's just been reality shows

[cdf90]

BBC One +1 to launch, according to the Director-General.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/lat...one-plus1.html

[Doug P]

That would be extremely useful for me....

[Media Boy UK]

Football fans can now watch football from down under LIVE on BT Sports every weekend.

BT Sports are showing FOUR games per week from Hyundai A-League.