SKY VS Virgin Media

[Scott_1984]

Copy of E-mail I sent Virginmedia & I think we should get rid of all Sky Channels & keep selling our channels/services/programes/shows to: BT-Vision, Top Up Tv, Homechoice, Sky, Freeview, 4OD, & other tv companies.

Dear,
Sirs/Madams,
at Virginmedia, I here Sky are playing unfair & Dirty & want to get rid of Sky-One, Sky-News, Sky-3, & loads more.
I say as an Ex-Telewest customer & now with Virginmedia it's new name. Let's get rid of Sky altogether on your Virginmedia Network.

It's time Virginmedia brought digital tv, with recording more than 2 channels, hundreds of films, music, ect. Set up more of your onw channels like Bravo, Living Tv, cheap channels/packages, ect.

Sky do not own all the past, present & future Simpsons, Lost Series 3, Futurama, Malcom In The Middle, Dead Like Me, & loads more.

Virginmedia already own channels like Living Tv, Bravo, Trouble Tv, ftn, challenge, & so on.

Just invent a few more channels like the above ones, but show programes like:

The Simpsons,
Lost,
Futurama,
Malcom In The Middle,
Dead Like Me,
Nip Tuck,
Bones,
24,
Stargate,

& loads more shows/programes that Sky-One show.

But Sky & Sky-One do not out right own the above shows/programes, there's nothing stopping Virginmedia buying/purchasing programes/shows like the above one's that Sky & Sky-One show on there networks.

By buying direct from companies like HBO, Fox, & other companies that produce:

The Simpsons,
Lost,
Futurama,
Malcom In The Middle,
Dead Like Me,
Nip Tuck,
Bones,
24,
Stargate,

Virginmedia could then sell these extra channels or certian channels/shows/programes to:

Top Up Tv: (http://www.topuptv.com/channels.html)

BT-Vision: (http://www.btvision.bt.com/btvision)

Homechoice: (http://www.homechoice.co.uk)

Freeview Run by BBC & BSKYB: (http://www.freeview.co.uk)
The Organisation
Freeview is managed by DTV Services Ltd, a company owned and run by its five shareholders - BBC, BSkyB Channel 4, ITV and National Grid Wireless. Launched in October 2002, the Freeview service provides free-to-air digital TV channels, radio stations and interactive services through an aerial.

By doing this your create Competitive Digital Tv Market & stop Sky & Sky-One buying Virginmedia to by channels/programes/shows which are over the odd/over priced.

Here's an exsample you could invent Virginmedia-3 channel & sell it to:

Top Up Tv: (http://www.topuptv.com/channels.html)

BT-Vision: (http://www.btvision.bt.com/btvision)

Homechoice: (http://www.homechoice.co.uk)

Freeview Run by BBC & BSKYB: (http://www.freeview.co.uk)
The Organisation
Freeview is managed by DTV Services Ltd, a company owned and run by its five shareholders - BBC, BSkyB Channel 4, ITV and National Grid Wireless. Launched in October 2002, the Freeview service provides free-to-air digital TV channels, radio stations and interactive services through an aerial.

& Virginmedia-3 Channel would show:

Futurama,

Family Guy,

Cheers,

Bob & Maraget (http://snowdenfine.awn.com/bobmarg.html)

& other shows/programes & so on 24-7 365 days a year & you sell Virginmedia-3 Channel to everyone including Sky, then you do a Virginmedia-1 Channel & only sell it to:

Top Up Tv: (http://www.topuptv.com/channels.html)

BT-Vision: (http://www.btvision.bt.com/btvision)

Homechoice: (http://www.homechoice.co.uk)

& NOT Sky & this Virginmedia-1 Channel would show programes/shows like:

Brand New Simpsons,
Past & Present & Future Simpsons,
Malcom In The Middle,
Past & Present & Future Malcom In The Middle,
Futurama,

& loads of over programes/shows like Lost, ect, that run 24-7 365 days a year & only avliable with Virginmedia, BT-Vision, Homechoice, Top Up Tv, & NOT Sky.

This way everyone wins, people on Freeview could have a new channel that's free & runs 24-7 365 days a year & aviable on Freeview, Homechoice, BT-Vision, Sky, Top up Tv, & loads more & this channel would be known as Virginmedia-3 Channel.

& then another type of channel could be known as: Virginmedia-1 Channel & only aviable to:

Top Up Tv,
BT-Vision,
Homechoice,
Virginmedia,
(Maybe even Freeview),

But NOT for Sky Customers, showing programes/shows like I mentioned:

Brand New Simpsons,
Lost,
Malcom In The Middle,
Dead Like Me,
Futurama,
Cheers,

& so on.

Shows/Programes like: http://play.com/DVD/DVD/campaign/5-/...21&cid=9046656

I would pay extra for these shows/programes/channels & so would companies like:

Top Up Tv,
BT-Vision,
Homechoice,
Virginmedia,
Freeview,
Free-Sat,

& loads more.

http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skyco...ntentid=646110

[dev]

Originally Posted by Scott_1984

Copy of E-mail I sent Virginmedia & I think we should get rid of all Sky Channels & keep selling our channels/services/programes/shows to: BT-Vision, Top Up Tv, Homechoice, Sky, Freeview, 4OD, & other tv companies.<snip>

ok and so sports/movies? get rid of all sky and there goes the football which has been sold exclusive rights to sky/setanta with setanta getting the lesser of choice of games, i assume sky also has exclusive deals with rugby/cricket/(golf?)/(darts?). getting rid of sky sports would lose vm a lot of customers, not to mention the movies. granted the movies could have rights bought to them but for sports, how often do you see 2 channels showing the same match? (i'll give you the answer, 1, the super bowl)

[Scott_1984]

I wouldn't miss Sky-Sports or any Sky Channels, as Sky do not own out right any of there programes/shows.

& under OFT, everyone sould/would be entitled to watch sports/football matches.

Nothing stopping Virginmedia buying sport rights, ect.

[AndyCambs]

Originally Posted by Scott_1984

Nothing stopping Virginmedia buying sport rights, etc.

In fact, that is probably the intention, and the reason why Sky wants to strangle any competition - as it realises once it loses the Sports channels - then it doesn't have much to offer.

[harmonyinfo]

Originally Posted by AndyCambs

Sky movies? Is that the channel where you get the same films over and over again each month?

I never understood what was so good about Sky Movies (or VM's equivalent movie thingy). The films tend to be available several months after they appear on DVD. And you can rent the latest DVDs from somewhere like amazon.co.uk for half the price the films cost.

[Davey]

Originally Posted by Scott_1984

Just invent a few more channels like the above ones, but show programes like:

Its not really that simple, providers must bid for each series, you dont just decide to show what ever you want and most production companies will sell exclusive rights as they get more money.

[12noon]

I wouldn't miss Sky-Sports or any Sky Channels, as Sky do not own out right any of there programes/shows.

& under OFT, everyone sould/would be entitled to watch sports/football matches.

Nothing stopping Virginmedia buying sport rights, ect.

If someone such as Setanta Sports bought Rugby League (SuperLeague) it would take a chunk out of the Sky Sports viewers. Football would still be the biggest draw though.

[Downloads]

Originally Posted by Davey

Its not really that simple, providers must bid for each series, you dont just decide to show what ever you want and most production companies will sell exclusive rights as they get more money.

I'm not quite sure exclusivity does always generate the most amount of money. This year by forcing the football to go to at least 2 providers, it generated much more money than when previously bought solely by Sky. Viewing figures hadn't vastly increased to justify the extra cash being pumped in, it was allowing more than one person the chance to own a licence that did it.

I know it' slightly different, you can't have 6 packs for one show, but i wonder what would happen if they allowed 3 licences say, priced at half the price of what they accepted from the top bidder. Would be interesting!

[Tod]

Originally Posted by Downloads

I know it' slightly different, you can't have 6 packs for one show, but i wonder what would happen if they allowed 3 licences say, priced at half the price of what they accepted from the top bidder. Would be interesting!

But you do in a way, that's how CH4 had Lost season 1 & 2, and then Sky got season 3 & 4. Much the same, and in the same way makes it WORSE for the viewer.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Scott_1984

Nothing stopping Virginmedia buying sport rights, ect.

Well, apart from money...

Sky is part of the News Corporation (AKA News International). News Corp is probably the largest media company on the Planet, and one of the largest companies on the planet. Rupert Murdoch has decided that he wants control of the media, and sees TV as an important part of that. As such, Sky has access to nearly limitless funding, and he doesn't seem too worried if they make a loss.

This is why Sky have consistently been able to outbid other companies for Sports rights.

Bearing in mind all this, do you *really* think that Sky are going to take renewed competition from Virgin lying down? More importantly, do you really think that Virgin (who, lets face it, as NTL, almost went bankrupt) can afford to do that?

[D0gleg]

Scott_1984 - Was that the draft of the email before spell and grammar checking it?

Please tell me "yes"...

Anyway a few points in there for them to think about for a few moments...

[12noon]

The way things are going, each football team will end up with it's own TV channel. I don't know how that will work though.

Anyway back to : Sky V's Virgin

[lauzjp]

um, I'm really not that fussed about all the hoo-hah, but I was wondering if anyone else'd noticed this on the main cf page as one of the ads - http://www.dontletskywin.co.uk/virgi...FQvmlAod4i-4xA

[Scott_1984]

Originally Posted by D0gleg

Scott_1984 - Was that the draft of the email before spell and grammar checking it?

Please tell me "yes"...

Anyway a few points in there for them to think about for a few moments...

No sadly that E-mail wasn't a draft, I am just really bad at spelling & sometimes I miss type a lot due to my wrist disability & depression.

Take Care & Take It Easy :¬)

Scott :¬)

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by Scott_1984

Copy of E-mail I sent Virginmedia & I think we should get rid of all Sky Channels & keep selling our channels/services/programes/shows to: BT-Vision, Top Up Tv, Homechoice, Sky, Freeview, 4OD, & other tv companies.

<snip>

Sky do not own all the past, present & future Simpsons, Lost Series 3, Futurama, Malcom In The Middle, Dead Like Me, & loads more.

Just as a point of order, Sky is part of News Corp, as is Fox and 20th Century Fox etc. Fox owns rights to all past and current (and presumably many future) eps of The Simpsons and Malcolm in the Middle.

In fact if you look at your lists below, I've marked which programmes News Corp owns for you - which can make it difficult to get first run rights for if you're not a friend of News Corp.

Also, some of the shows, whilst not produced by 20th Century Fox, do show on the Fox Network in the US - Bones for example - which could also carry some weight when you're negotiating first run rights on a global scale.

Originally Posted by Scott_1984

The Simpsons FOX
Lost,
Futurama, FOX
Malcom In The Middle, FOX
Dead Like Me,
Nip Tuck,
Bones,
24, FOX
Stargate,

<snip>

Family Guy, FOX
Cheers,
Bob & Maraget

Originally Posted by Scott_1984

Virginmedia could then sell these extra channels or certian channels/shows/programes to:

Unfortunately that's not the way rights negotiations work. If Virgin were to create a channel that was sold on to other operators, then it would be likely to add additional cost, thats a given.

But holding the rights to broadcast a programme on your channel does not give you the rights to then sell that show on to someone else's network/platform.

Top Up TV, AFAIK, doesn't have any bespoke programming of note - and neither does it have the customer base that could support it.

BT have been extremely busy getting their own rights deals - I seriously doubt they're going to suddenly get into bed with their long-time telephony rival.

Homechoice, which is now Tiscali TV by the way, again has a very good track record in rights aquisition (one of the reasons it was attractive to Tiscali), but also has (today anyway) a pretty insigificant customer base and only in the M25 area. That will start to change in the future of course, but that's the state of the nation today.

And the whole premise for your considered email to Virgin seems to revolve around taking away these programmes for Sky customers. What have Sky customers done to upset you? I appreicate that many folk don't like Murdoch and his empire, but there's almost nine million households in this country who have Sky and you want to take away the programmes that you'd like to watch on your VM3 channel all day?

That's just playing into the hot-headed discussions from some on here who seem to think they are going to war rather than paying a company to provide them with a service.