General : Virgin TV (2024)

[epsilon]

Overnight changes:
Hell's Kitchen & Egg Heads have now been moved to placeholder EPG slots.
Mythbusters & Tipping Point have been added to the NIT of 5 internal networks, moving closer to a possible launch.
1 movie channel with a promotional rebrand.
Further information:
https://ukcabletvchanges.blogspot.com

---------- Post added at 05:24 ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 ----------

Originally Posted by epsilon

I wouldn't pay too much attention to that, it's just the remnants of the company that owned it in the Ideal World era. More interesting is that a new director has been appointed at Hochanda Global... today!

Further info: previous appointments with other companies have described his occupation as "accountant" or "insolvency consultant".

[Media Boy UK]

@epsilon

I have found out that he had been appointed to 18 other companies boards in the past.

All of them is NOW status as Liquidation or Dissolved.

[RichardCoulter]

As Eden becomes free on other platforms on 16/10/24, let's hope that Virgin, whose customers still have to effectively pay for it, make it available on all packages from this date.

---------- Post added at 11:47 ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 ----------

Originally Posted by epsilon

Overnight changes:
11 Kids channels start a free to view period for October.
The old Box Network channels and NGTV Good Times placeholders have been removed after protecting recordings for 93 days.
4 promotional rebrands / services reverting to their usual names following rebrands.

Further Info:
https://ukcabletvchanges.blogspot.com
https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/virgin-media-o2-gives-tv-customers-access-to-hundreds-of-kids-shows-throughout-october-at-no-extra-cost-2/

The kids channels (and TNT Sports & the Asian channels) used to be included in the top basic channel pack.

Then they made them add ons that customers had to pay for in order to continue receiving them.

If they expect people to be grateful that they've added them back for 4 weeks I think they're deluded. Of course, those who were daft enough to pay to continue to receive these channels won't be getting a refund whilst everyone else gets them for free!

Looks to me like take up has been low, so they're sporadically adding these channels back in the hope that kids will exert pester power to get their parents to cough up the extra money to keep them.

Slyness and manipulation is what I see rather than a freebie given out of the goodness of their heart for half term as they're trying to make out.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

@epsilon

I have found out that he had been appointed to 18 other companies boards in the past.

All of them is NOW status as Liquidation or Dissolved.

Although, that is to be expected when companies appoint an insolvency consultant as a director. As a director, they get to talk directly to an independent insolvency practitioner.

---------- Post added at 17:38 ---------- Previous post was at 17:34 ----------

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

As Eden becomes free on other platforms on 16/10/24, let's hope that Virgin, whose customers still have to effectively pay for it, make it available on all packages from this date.

They usually do, it's in the Mix pack anyway so not a big step to Mixit.

The kids channels (and TNT Sports & the Asian channels) used to be included in the top basic channel pack.

Then they made them add ons that customers had to pay for in order to continue receiving them.

If they expect people to be grateful that they've added them back for 4 weeks I think they're deluded. Of course, those who were daft enough to pay to continue to receive these channels won't be getting a refund whilst everyone else gets them for free!

Looks to me like take up has been low, so they're sporadically adding these channels back in the hope that kids will exert pester power to get their parents to cough up the extra money to keep them.

Slyness and manipulation is what I see rather than a freebie given out of the goodness of their heart for half term as they're trying to make out.

The correct term for "slyness and manipulation" is marketing.

[RichardCoulter]

I have no problem with them attempting to upsell to adults eg free tasters of Sky Cinema or Sky Sports, but to remove kids channels unless an extra payment is made, then try to get children used to them again by offering sporadic free periods so that they will exert pester power on their parents (who may well not be able to afford it) is total manipulation and goes beyond the usual attempts to upsell that many companies undertake.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I have no problem with them attempting to upsell to adults eg free tasters of Sky Cinema or Sky Sports, but to remove kids channels unless an extra payment is made, then try to get children used to them again by offering sporadic free periods so that they will exert pester power on their parents (who may well not be able to afford it) is total manipulation and goes beyond the usual attempts to upsell that many companies undertake.

As I keep saying, the price of the Kids pack is not too different from the discounted NOW TV entertainment pack which contains extra on-demand content, Sky Atlantic and has the Kids channels thrown in at no extra cost. I'm not sure that Virgin aren't shooting themselves in the foot with the Kids pack.

[TimeLord2018]

Sky charge £7 for Kids channels on Sky Q/Stream/Glass though, regularly giving away the first 3 months for free , hoping you will continue to subscribe or forget to cancel.

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018

Sky charge £7 for Kids channels on Sky Q/Stream/Glass though, regularly giving away the first 3 months for free , hoping you will continue to subscribe or forget to cancel.

I took them up on the free period at the start of 2024. I didnt forget to cancel though

I also took sky movies free for a similar offer, and cancelled that as well.
Interestingly, the movies came with free Paramount+, and that still works even though I cancelled the movies.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by epsilon

As I keep saying, the price of the Kids pack is not too different from the discounted NOW TV entertainment pack which contains extra on-demand content, Sky Atlantic and has the Kids channels thrown in at no extra cost. I'm not sure that Virgin aren't shooting themselves in the foot with the Kids pack.

True. Virgin started charging extra for the kids channels shortly after Sky started doing this.

The cheapest i've had Now Entertainment for is £1 a month and Now Cinema for free either as a retention deal or to tempt me to go back.

Anyone with Virgin or Sky would be better off using Now TV to bolster their package if they're not bothered about recording stuff.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I have no problem with them attempting to upsell to adults eg free tasters of Sky Cinema or Sky Sports, but to remove kids channels unless an extra payment is made, then try to get children used to them again by offering sporadic free periods so that they will exert pester power on their parents (who may well not be able to afford it) is total manipulation and goes beyond the usual attempts to upsell that many companies undertake.

People used to complain they were paying for channels they would never use as they weren’t parents/grandparents or their kids had grown up. That was the logic of bringing in the separation.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

People used to complain they were paying for channels they would never use as they weren’t parents/grandparents or their kids had grown up. That was the logic of bringing in the separation.

But the cost of the top packs didn't reduce as a result, they actually went up!

This reminds me, has the price of the top pack without TNT Sport reduced? I think I know the answer, but am curious to know for sure.

[Itshim]

On mix package, just looked at it's list , some channels I have never heard of , nothing missing from there that interests me at all. Seems two of the adult channels are included, find that surprising and if correct some what unwelcome. Not even going to check

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

But the cost of the top packs didn't reduce as a result, they actually went up!

This reminds me, has the price of the top pack without TNT Sport reduced? I think I know the answer, but am curious to know for sure.

They would have went up regardless of the change. That’s what prices do. The increase may have been more if they had remained, there’s no way to know, the decision to separate had been made, inspired by their market-leading competitor.

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

They would have went up regardless of the change. That’s what prices do. The increase may have been more if they had remained, there’s no way to know, the decision to separate had been made, inspired by their market-leading competitor.

is TNT Sports still in the top pack? i thought it was an extra addition now?

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by vincerooney

is TNT Sports still in the top pack? i thought it was an extra addition now?

It is. Sort of... (some users of legacy Maxit still have it, for now).