Virgin Media News

[Media Boy UK]

BSkyB is preparing for a courtroom showdown with arch-rival Virgin Media today in a bid to prevent the disclosure of confidential business documents.

At a hearing last month, a judge threw out Sky's application to prevent three of Virgin Media's lawyers viewing documents it was set to hand over as part of the pre-trial disclosure process.

Mr Justice Lewison rejected the application by Sky, saying it would be "extremely disruptive of trial preparations". He ordered Sky to pay Virgin Media's costs, put at £30,000. Sky immediately said it would appeal.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai...4/cnsky114.xml

Info from Telegraph.

---------- Post added at 10:32 ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 ----------

Virgin rapped for "cheapest Setanta" ads
Adverts claiming that "the cheapest way to get Setanta Sports" is to subscribe to Virgin Media's cable TV service were misleading, the Advertising Standards Agency has ruled.

The national press adverts stated: "If you don't want to know the cheapest way to get Setanta Sports, look away now."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...tanta-ads.html

Story from Digital Spy.

[batchain]

Originally Posted by TV Boy

BSkyB is preparing for a courtroom showdown with arch-rival Virgin Media today in a bid to prevent the disclosure of confidential business documents.

At a hearing last month, a judge threw out Sky's application to prevent three of Virgin Media's lawyers viewing documents it was set to hand over as part of the pre-trial disclosure process.

Mr Justice Lewison rejected the application by Sky, saying it would be "extremely disruptive of trial preparations". He ordered Sky to pay Virgin Media's costs, put at £30,000. Sky immediately said it would appeal.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai...4/cnsky114.xml

Info from Telegraph.

BSkyB loses Virgin appeal

Within minutes of hearing the case yesterday, three of the country's top judges threw out Sky's appeal and ordered the satellite broadcaster to pay Virgin £40,000 in costs.


Sky has handed over 8,800 documents, 7,900 of which are confidential, to Virgin's legal team.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai...5/cnsky115.xml

[braysoj1]

The Court of Appeal has rejected a request from Sky regarding a pre-trial disclosure package pertaining to the firm's carriage dispute case with Virgin Media.

Sky had sought confirmation that the lawyers who saw the documents would not also be working on two other ongoing matters involving both firms. Virgin is employing legal firm Ashursts for the carriage case, its appeal against a Competition Commission ruling on Sky's stake in ITV and the Ofcom review of the pay TV market.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...n-dispute.html

[Arthurgray50@blu]

I don't want to get involved in a slagging match, of Sky and VM, but this whole business, wants to make me puke, Most of the channels on VM have to go through certain legal matters, as this would invlove Sky, so no one would win, with VM taking Sky to court is a total waste of money, we now have the news, that the trial is going to be next year, l say again, WHY does VM have to waste OUR money in going to court, to prove or win what, It is up to ANY business, to get a good price for its products, Sky has more channels, becuase, that is what the channels want, they want to be with Sky, VM will only have the channels, they feel are nessersary on there network, which is wrong, VM have to have channels that benefit there customers, I don't think Sky are trying to rip off VM, we all know that this is a bitter dispute, started by Sir Richard, when he tried to buy ITV, and Sky pip him, and he has a sore nose, why the hell don't they just sit round a table and sort the matter out, instead of lining some rich lawyers pockets, Arh.Arh

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

I don't want to get involved in a slagging match, of Sky and VM, but this whole business, wants to make me puke, Most of the channels on VM have to go through certain legal matters, as this would invlove Sky, so no one would win, with VM taking Sky to court is a total waste of money, we now have the news, that the trial is going to be next year, l say again, WHY does VM have to waste OUR money in going to court, to prove or win what, It is up to ANY business, to get a good price for its products, Sky has more channels, becuase, that is what the channels want, they want to be with Sky, VM will only have the channels, they feel are nessersary on there network, which is wrong, VM have to have channels that benefit there customers, I don't think Sky are trying to rip off VM, we all know that this is a bitter dispute, started by Sir Richard, when he tried to buy ITV, and Sky pip him, and he has a sore nose, why the hell don't they just sit round a table and sort the matter out, instead of lining some rich lawyers pockets, Arh.Arh

Sky were charging too much for the channels and Virgin did not feel they are worth that much. Nothing to do with the ITV thing.

The court case is looking like it might be in court this summer not next year.

[Media Boy UK]

Virgin Media managing director of brand and marketing James Kydd is to leave the company next month.

Kydd, who has been at the company since 2006, was a driving force behind its relaunch as Virgin Media. He has overseen as series of high profile campaigns aimed at building brand awareness.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2..._to_leave.html

Info from Broadcastnow.

[matt_2k34]

[ot]
oooh marketing director is leaving.

Maybe they will stop doing marketing campaigns where they dont have a cable network.. and focus on reconfiguring / upgrading the UBRs so they can cope, and pushing more people onto free space of the UBRs
[/ot]

love this thread <3

[Media Boy UK]

The following is from ufitm - From an e-mail HE got from Neil Berkett.


Q1 Are there any more news channels coming this year, also when will the line up of ex telewest become the same as there is more on that line.

A1. We will be launching more channels later in the year, and the channel launches will be a mixture of those which will harmonise the services across the platforms and some new content for all customers. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide details around the nature of this content at this point, but you should see it arrive over the coming months.

Q2. When are you going to add more to your HD line-up as on BBC HD. I like watching the nature and natural history programmes and the sport; It makes you feel like you are there.

A2. Virgin Media remains committed to delivering wide-ranging, high quality programming, functionality and on demand services to our customers. In this respect we will continue to talk to content providers to ensure Virgin Media offers customers a compelling content line-up.

I hope that you've been checking out all the HD content in the on demand service, both in the TV choice section (e.g. Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Band of Brothers, Sopranos and more, and the 20-30 HD movies available on demand at any one time).

Q3. When the 50 MB speed internet starts will it be a upgrade for the 20 MB users?

A3. We are currently finalising plans for our 50MB service and will be confirming full details about availability closer to the time. However what I can tell you is that because our 50MB service will be a new service based on a new technology it will not be possible for customers to access 50MB services with their existing modems. We will be letting customers know about how to access these new modems and upgrade their service nearer to time to launch 50MB.

Q4. When will be getting the Virgin Media email addresses?

A4. In the coming months we will be making @virginmedia.com email addresses available, just like you’d expect.

Before we do, we will send you an email giving you all the information you need, and letting you know if there is anything you need to do. When we do make @virginmedia.com addresses available, you will still be able to keep the old addresses you have been using, or get a Virgin Media address, or both- the choice is yours.
For the time being, there is no charge to our current services like spam and virus protection, web mail access, automatic reply and forwarding, and enough e-mail addresses for all the family to use.
Check out www.virginmedia.com/email for the latest news and useful email links.

[Media Boy UK]

BSkyB has applied for permission to appeal a ruling that it must reduce its 17.9% stake in ITV to below 7.5%.

Now the company intends to take the case to the Courts of Appeal, a move requiring approval from the CAT.

"I think some people who are talking about tactics and why we would want to go to further appeal are forgetting that in this case we believe we are right," a senior Sky source told the Financial Times. "We think there is no reason to believe that this stake affects competition in the UK market and we believe that the decision as it stands affects our freedom to invest."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcas...tv-ruling.html

Info from Digital Spy.

[Media Boy UK]

Virgin's 50Mb broadband arriving December 15?

Mystery event looks certain to be launch conference

Virgin Media looks set to launch its 50Mb broadband on December 15 after inviting journalists to a mystery event.

Although the company has thus far declined to give a firm date for the launch of its 50Mb service, it has always maintained that it would be before the end of the year.

Now, journalists have been told to 'hold the date' on December 15 – where the company will almost certainly show off the fastest broadband in the UK.
http://www.techradar.com/news/networ...dec-15--490060

Info from Techradar.

[Media Boy UK]

Sky must not avoid pay-TV regulations say rivals.

BSkyB should not be allowed to use Project Canvas as a loophole to avoid proposed pay-TV regulations, its two main rivals have claimed in a submission to Ofcom.

In a joint submission to Ofcom’s pay-TV review, published on the regulator’s website this morning [28 October], BT, Virgin Media and Top Up TV, have urged Ofcom to make sure Sky does not have a means of avoiding proposed new regulations.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/r...007402.article

[zantarous]

According to this article OFCOM has published a response to the consultation but doesn't really say what it is http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/5007406.article

[Media Boy UK]

BBC Worldwide would be allowed to buy Virgin Media's UKTV stake

BBC Worldwide will be allowed to acquire Virgin Media's 50% stake in pay-TV joint venture UKTV to help secure the financial future of Channel 4, despite a ban on all other merger and acquisition activity imposed by the BBC Trust today.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009...gin-media-uktv

[Media Boy UK]

Guardian: Discovery Networks and Scripps in running for Virgin's UKTV stake.

Virgin Media is thought to have narrowed down the long drawn-out search for a buyer for its UKTV stake to two interested parties, US broadcasters Discovery Networks and Scripps.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010...ktv-stake-sale

[HDFootyMan]

http://shop.virginmedia.com/tv/tivo.html