General : Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2

[Media Boy UK]

May List update - May 23rd update.

Keep up-to-date on the latest news on upcoming channel launches and other important events across all platforms of Virgin Media UK and Virgin Media Ireland.

NOTE: I DO NOT WORK FOR VIRGIN MEDIA UK OR VIRGIN MEDIA IRELAND SO ALL THE INFORMATION ON THIS LIST IS STILL SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Colours on my list are as followed:

Media Boy = New Info just added.
Media Boy = Virgin Media UK/Ireland News and links.
Media Boy = Local TV news, other Media news/Things.

=== Coming up on Virgin's Digital TV ===
=== Freeviews on Virgin Media UK OR Ireland ===
(Put start date here). (Put channel name here) is having an freeview to all TBC Customers on Virgin UK/Ireland Channel TBC right now until (Put end date here.)

=== Soon ===
-Virgin Media UK will launch NDTV India soon on Virgin UK Channel TBC.
-Virgin Media UK will launch NDTV Spice soon on Virgin UK Channel TBC.
-Virgin Media UK will launch QVC Beauty soon on Virgin UK Channel TBC.
-Virgin Media UK will launch QVC Style soon on Virgin UK Channel TBC.
-Virgin Media UK will launch Tru TV soon on Virgin UK Channel TBC.

=== May ===
24th. The Box Plus Network will rebrand Smash Hits as Box Hits on Virgin UK Channel 337 and Virgin Ireland Channel 712.
24th. The Box Plus Network will rebrand Heat as Box Upfront on Virgin UK Channel 338 and Virgin Ireland Channel 714.
27th. Viacom will rebrand MTV Classic as MTV 90s on Virgin Ireland Channel 707.

=== June ===
7th. Virgin Media UK will broadcast Wales games from Euro 2016 on S4C HD on Virgin UK Channel TBC.

=== July ===
No News...

=== August ===
No News...

=== September ===
No News...

=== October ===
No News...

=== November ===
No News...

=== December ===
No News...

=== Before 2017 ====
-ITV will launch an HD Channel for ITV Anglia (East) region on Virgin UK Channel 113 soon.
-ITV will launch an HD Channel for ITV Tyne Tees region on Virgin UK Channel 113 soon.
-ITV will launch an HD Channel for ITV Yorkshire (West) region on Virgin UK Channel 113 soon.

=== January 2017 ===
No News...

=== February 2017 ===
No News...

=== March 2017 ===
No News...

=== April 2017 ===
No News...

=== May 2017 ===
No News...

=== June 2017 ===
No News...

=== July 2017 ===
No News...

=== August 2017 ===
No News...

=== September 2017 ===
No News...

=== October 2017 ===
No News...

=== November 2017 ===
No News...

=== December 2017 ===
No News...

=== Local TV on Virgin Media ===
-All the following Local TV broadcasters may launch by 2017 on Virgin UK Channel 159:

-YourTV Manchester
-YourTV Blackpool & Preston
-That’s Basingstoke
-That’s Surrey
-That's Solent - CHANNEL TESTING ON VIRGIN MEDIA UK.
-That’s Reading
-That’s Salisbury
-That's Oxford

=== Unknown dates ===
-The BBC hope to launch English regional variants of its existing BBC One HD service as well as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland editions of BBC Two HD - but still need to be approved by the BBC Trust.

=== Channels ONLY in Virgin Media Ireland areas ===
List last updated on February 8th 2016.

ONLY TV CHANNELS THAT ONLY BROADCAST IN THE UK ON OTHER NETWORKS WILL APPEAR ON THIS PART OF THE LIST.

ALSO THE FOLLOWING LIST OF CHANNELS IS CURRENTLY BROADCASTING ON VIRGIN MEDIA IRELAND BUT NOT ON VIRGIN MEDIA UK:

Documentaries/News:
-History HD
-Crime + Investigation HD
-RT

Lifestyle:
-Fashion TV

Music:
-MTV Classic

Kids:
-Disney Channel HD

Specialist:
-EWTN

Radio:
-UCB Ireland

Channels only in Virgin Media Ireland areas.

©copyright 2016 Media Boy 2006 - 2016. An ''Keep it real and free'' Production.

==== Virgin Media's Deals with broadcasters ===
Full list now at: http://mediaboyblog.blogspot.co.uk/p...adcasters.html

This part of list has now moved to my blog - follow link.

=== What is Media Boy on about??? ===
Here is what I mean when I post the following on Cable Forum:

Virgin Sources - means just that.
'Do Not Post' order - means an Virgin insider has given me some info on things that set to happen but has told me not to reveal it right now.

=== Media Boy Extra info: ===
Liberty Global - http://www.lgi.com/
Media Boy Blog - For all things Virgin UK and Ireland - http://mediaboyblog.blogspot.com/
Follow Virgin Media UK on ''twitter'' here - http://twitter.com/virginmedia
Follow Virgin Media Ireland on ''twitter'' here - https://twitter.com/VirginMediaIE
See Nialli's blog on Virgin Media High Definition & TiVo Services here - http://vmhd.blogspot.com/

=== Ask Media Boy ===
Last updated January 4th 2016.

Q: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION ABOUT VIRGIN MEDIA FROM?
A: Media Boy HQ gets all info from Virgin Media viewers, some Virgin Media workers (I called them Virgin Sources) and Web Sites (NOTE: When I used web sites I will post an link to that web site).

Q: WHY HAVE YOU ADDED 'ONLY IN VIRGIN MEDIA IRELAND AREAS' AND INFORMATION ON VIRGIN MEDIA IRELAND ON THIS THREAD IS FOR VIRGIN MEDIA UK?
A: Virgin Media Ireland is now part of Virgin Media and are both owned by Liberty Global. And you voted for Media Boy HQ to join both Virgin Media UK and Virgin Media Ireland threads up for 2016.

Q: WHY AM I NOT GETTING ''DISNEY CHANNEL HD'' FOR?
A: Disney Channel HD is only broadcasting in Virgin Media Ireland areas right now.

==== See you later ===
List last updated on May 23rd 2016.

Next update: TBC.

A) If Virgin Media UK/Ireland are set to launch more than TWO channels (TV or Radio) in Virgin Media UK/Ireland areas.
B) If Virgin Media UK/Ireland are set to move more than TWO channels (TV or Radio) about in Virgin Media UK/Ireland areas.
C) If Virgin Media UK/Ireland are set to close or repackage more then TWO channels (TV or Radio) in Virgin Media UK/Ireland areas.

©copyright 2016 Media Boy 2006 - 2016. An ''Keep it real and free'' Production.

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by denphone

No its not pessimistic Andrew as my suspicions are that a exclusive 5 year deal was signed by ITV and Sky over ITV Encore and not the 2 year deal that some seem to think was signed.

Ofcom are hilarious how they never interfere in these dirty deals to withhold channels from people. The only time they've got involved really is to break up sky's exclusive hold of premier league football.

I thought at the time that was a good thing and they'd done us a favour!

Sky prices stay the same and now we have to pay another company to watch the matches we could have got with sky before! Ofcom must have been paid off by another company to "investigate" it

Disgrace!

[muppetman11]

Sorry but you don't have to pay anything that's the beauty with pay TV you have a choice whether to subscribe or not.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Sorry but you don't have to pay anything that's the beauty with pay TV you have a choice whether to subscribe or not.

Granted, but Vince's point was that you have to pay more to watch the same.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Sorry but you don't have to pay anything that's the beauty with pay TV you have a choice whether to subscribe or not.

Indeed that is the case MM but his point about Ofcom doing basically sod all hits the nail on the head though.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by vincerooney

Ofcom are hilarious how they never interfere in these dirty deals to withhold channels from people. The only time they've got involved really is to break up sky's exclusive hold of premier league football.

I thought at the time that was a good thing and they'd done us a favour!

Sky prices stay the same and now we have to pay another company to watch the matches we could have got with sky before! Ofcom must have been paid off by another company to "investigate" it

Disgrace!

Vince, a gentle reminder that it was the European Commission that required the Premier League rights to be sold to more than one bidder, not Ofcom. And if you wish a particular market to be investigated, let the relevant body (the CMA, not Ofcom) know here.

Originally Posted by denphone

Indeed that is the case MM but his point about Ofcom doing basically sod all hits the nail on the head though.

It's not usual in any country to force companies to sell things to one another. By doing so, you remove the market ie the regulator would have to decide the price at which every channel was sold to every TV platform. Not really practical.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Granted, but Vince's point was that you have to pay more to watch the same.

But you aren't watching the same amount , this coming season will see more Premier League games available than ever before.

[denphone]

l see your point Andrew but surely there comes a point when Ofcom should step in and caps prices to a certain rise each year instead of companies basically racking up prices to a level where they think they can get way with it and hoping that many customers don't notice the big inflation busting price rises.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

But you aren't watching the same amount , this coming season will see more Premier League games available than ever before.

2004-2007 was the last time that Sky held all live rights. They had 138 matches.

In 2016-2019 Sky holds live rights to 126 matches and BT has 42 matches making a total of 168 matches.

The average Sky Sports subscriber watches 30 Premier League matches a year.

So:
- Splitting the rights has resulted in a Sky Sports subscriber getting 12 fewer matches in their subscription.
- It has also given them a choice - get 42 matches at a lower price instead of paying for 126 matches of which you'll only watch a quarter of.
- But if you wanted to watch the same number of matches as before ie 138 matches then you would require two subscriptions.

---------- Post added at 19:38 ---------- Previous post was at 19:28 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

l see your point Andrew but surely there comes a point when Ofcom should step in and caps prices to a certain rise each year instead of companies basically racking up prices to a level where they think they can get way with it and hoping that many customers don't notice the big inflation busting price rises.

Regulation of the markets is the responsibility of the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) ; confusingly not Ofcom.
Their responsibility is to ensure that markets function correctly and players in a market don't operate cartels and too many companies don't merge etc. They're in the news at the moment as it is likely that they will force a combined Ladbrokes-Coral to sell some shops.
If companies are acting noncompetitively or a market sector is not working well then you can inform them and they will investigate. They might delegate it down to Ofcom to do the actual investigation as they have the knowledge but markets are the CMA's responsibility.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tell-the...market-problem

[muppetman11]

I actually meant for those who want it all ie both BT Sport and Sky Sports. A total of 168 matches I'm pretty sure that's the highest amount of games made available.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

But you aren't watching the same amount , this coming season will see more Premier League games available than ever before.

By heck me old mucker you must be on good commission lately.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I actually meant for those who want it all ie both BT Sport and Sky Sports. A total of 168 matches I'm pretty sure that's the highest amount of games made available.

Yes, my post states that the total number of matches has risen by 30 matches from 138 in 2004/7 to 168 2016/19. 2004/7 was the last period of Sky exclusivity.

---------- Post added at 19:48 ---------- Previous post was at 19:45 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

By heck me old mucker you must be on good commission lately.

No one's pretending that sports telly is a bargain but Muppetman is correct in his assertion. I suspect people are watching the same amount ie 30 matches a season but they have the option of watching more matches now than in any previous season.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by denphone

By heck me old mucker you must be on good commission lately.

Not really Den I agree things are expensive these days but try going to a game or compare to other forms of entertainment like the theatre , cinema etc.

These days people demand more for instance HD , 4K , match choice , On Demand all this comes at an increased cost to platforms.

[denphone]

It was meant in jest as l am sure MM can take a bit of banter.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by dodo1

When do the channels that are testing on virgin media launch?

Only one we know of is S4C HD - launching for about 2 to 4 weeks from June 7th.

We have not seen any confirmed channel numbers or launch dates for the rest of them.

---------- Post added at 23:22 ---------- Previous post was at 23:16 ----------

S4C HD will broadcast on the following dates/times:

June 11th:
-Wales VS Slovakia - KO: 5pm

June 16th:
-England VS Wales - KO: 2pm

June 20th:
-Russia VS Wales - KO: 8pm