Why don't we have.....

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

..And that greed will be their downfall because a way will be found around them and they will then lose out on that income. Short term gain, long term pain.

I am like you I want to see better choice for the customer but in realistic terms I can't see BSKYB ever in a position were they lose millions and millions of customers they have shown over the years how adept they are at changing with the times.

[denphone]

Their are increasingly huge worldwide media companies out there who have the firepower to take on Sky and beat them.

Originally Posted by denphone

Their are increasingly huge worldwide media companies out there who have the firepower to take on Sky and beat them.

Totally agree.

News International for one!

[Henkesghost]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I am like you I want to see better choice for the customer but in realistic terms I can't see BSKYB ever in a position were they lose millions and millions of customers they have shown over the years how adept they are at changing with the times.

Agree, also how many pages back can coming soon to virgin thread go before it falls off the Internet?

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Totally agree.

News International for one!

Yes third biggest media corporation after Disney and Time Warner , just so happens there buying BSKYB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_Corporation

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Yes third biggest media corporation after Disney and Time Warner , just so happens there buying BSKYB

Are you not forgetting powerful companies like Google and Facebook along with others as well.

[Chad]

This may be a far out concept, and will no doubt have legal implications, however I'll post it anyway.

Seeing Virgin would like us all to be in Tivo at some point in the future, it would be good if an app was created allowing customers to access each others recordings via an invite. For example, I recorded the boxing at the weekend but my Dad missed it. SKY are not repeating the action again. So my Dad doesn't miss out, I can invite him Tivo to Tivo to watch the action directly from my box. It'll only work if you have similar packages. Someone on M+ couldn't watch something a customer on XL has recorded from say National Geographic. Alternatively as Tivo has a dedicated internet connection, you can send another customer a copy of your recording from your Tivo box directly to theirs.

Again legally this probably would never get off the ground, I just think it would be something entirely different that no other service provides. I'm not too sure if there is an appetite for this type of app however I'd certainly use it.

[carlwaring]

That's a very interesting idea, Chad. But, as you say, a potential legal nightmare

Originally Posted by Chad

...... if an app was created allowing customers to access each others recordings via an invite. ...

that would be great, but, like you say, legally it prolly wont have a snowballs chance

[pythagoras]

Originally Posted by Chad

This may be a far out concept, and will no doubt have legal implications, however I'll post it anyway.

Seeing Virgin would like us all to be in Tivo at some point in the future, it would be good if an app was created allowing customers to access each others recordings via an invite. For example, I recorded the boxing at the weekend but my Dad missed it. SKY are not repeating the action again. So my Dad doesn't miss out, I can invite him Tivo to Tivo to watch the action directly from my box. It'll only work if you have similar packages. Someone on M+ couldn't watch something a customer on XL has recorded from say National Geographic. Alternatively as Tivo has a dedicated internet connection, you can send another customer a copy of your recording from your Tivo box directly to theirs.

Again legally this probably would never get off the ground, I just think it would be something entirely different that no other service provides. I'm not too sure if there is an appetite for this type of app however I'd certainly use it.

I think sling have all the patents on this tied up. Maybe it could be licensed from them and incorporated into the VM TiVo box.

http://uk.slingbox.com/go/slingbox

Regards

John.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I am like you I want to see better choice for the customer but in realistic terms I can't see BSKYB ever in a position were they lose millions and millions of customers they have shown over the years how adept they are at changing with the times.

Well, if they can get TIVO to do the things I have described, with plenty of video streaming in good quality available, with deals that VM have done, this will be hugely attractive to people. As VM gain access to areas currently not available to them, Sky's audience share could erode rapidly.

However, I want to say that I am not bashing Sky here, I just want a more competitive environment, with Sky unable to call all the shots at the expense of its rivals.

If maximum capital is made out of the TIVO boxes, I can see VM being seen as a worthy competitor to Sky. But they have to be quick, or else people will go for other solutions and it will be too late.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Well, if they can get TIVO to do the things I have described, with plenty of video streaming in good quality available, with deals that VM have done, this will be hugely attractive to people. As VM gain access to areas currently not available to them, Sky's audience share could erode rapidly.

However, I want to say that I am not bashing Sky here, I just want a more competitive environment, with Sky unable to call all the shots at the expense of its rivals.

If maximum capital is made out of the TIVO boxes, I can see VM being seen as a worthy competitor to Sky. But they have to be quick, or else people will go for other solutions and it will be too late.

And have they got the money.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Well, if they can get TIVO to do the things I have described, with plenty of video streaming in good quality available, with deals that VM have done, this will be hugely attractive to people. As VM gain access to areas currently not available to them, Sky's audience share could erode rapidly.

However, I want to say that I am not bashing Sky here, I just want a more competitive environment, with Sky unable to call all the shots at the expense of its rivals.

If maximum capital is made out of the TIVO boxes, I can see VM being seen as a worthy competitor to Sky. But they have to be quick, or else people will go for other solutions and it will be too late.

While I agree it may affect Sky's subscriber numbers slightly the same could very well be said with regards to VM lower tier TV customers who don't want to pay £8.00 TIVO subs and will be able to get TV catchup services through connected TVs and youview.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by denphone

And have they got the money.

Yes, it's good to see the debt going down.

[devilincarnate]

Originally Posted by denphone

And have they got the money.

This is a good read?

CBS and Virgin Media (VMED), two of our larger holdings thanks to excellent stock price performance, reported earnings a few weeks ago. Both companies reported good results supporting the higher stock prices and setting the stage for future gains.

Entering the report, I was a little worried about VMED due to strict austerity measures in the UK economy, including higher valued added taxes. At the VMED analyst meeting we attended a few months ago, the company warned that early 2011 would be challenging. The quarter has hardly a blockbuster, but mid-single digit revenue and EBITDA growth built on inline to better-than-expected subscriber growth and ARPU was an excellent performance in a tough environment.

Taking the quarter as a sign that austerity is not crimping growth, VMED's 2011 outlook looks better than feared. The company is coping well with a tough environment, probably a sign that that its best-in-the-UK broadband network remains a competitive advantage that the focused management team is exploiting. Free cash flow continues to rise rapidly and the board is exercising an aggressive share buyback program, including purchases at the current prices at the 52-week high.

VMED is near my low- to mid-$30s price target, but I think the bias is higher on the assumption that 2012 economic growth in the UK improves. The share buyback, free cash flow, and excellent management execution provide downside protection that makes waiting for comparisons to ease the best course of action.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2713...?source=nasdaq