Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2011) Vol. I.

Originally Posted by mersey70

Again it's back to the press release when the sale was made. It stated it included a carriage deal for what were VMtv channels, whether that included an option for new channels is anyone's guess.

On a side note a deal was made for the carriage of virgins sold channels to sky plus others,i wonder what it said if anything about what would happen if sky were to close them down ! Obviously they would not be supplied then under any carriage deal. Wonder if anything was mentioned about virgin getting replacements on the platform or have sky pulled a fast one again.

[denphone]

Any deal should have included new channels and if not then they are a bunch of amateurs.

[denphone]

Any deal should have included new channels and if not then they are a bunch of amateurs.

[ozsat]

Originally Posted by denphone

Any deal should have included new channels and if not then they are a bunch of amateurs.

And the other party say no - what do you do then?

No deal and then no channels!

[Perfect Choice]

What you do is state this in your press release and not leave the impression that you have access to all Sky basic channels. Badly worded press release at best I would say.

Pesonally I think VM have a right to negotiate and not complete lock out, but the agreement did not have a pre-defined commercial agreement for future channels. That is my guess on what happened. At least we have seen an email reply saying they are negotiating with Sky.

However looking at the above list of new Sky channels from Media Boy yesterday I think the first issue is access to content, not complementary channels like +1 or HD.

If you cannot reach agreement on the SD version of a channel, the +1 and HD versions are irrelevant. Taking Sky Atlantic as an example, VM really need to negotiate a deal for the SD version otherwise their customers are locked out of any channel specific content. I note posts indicating that it looks like most of the first programmes are items which have been on VOD in the past, but they are not there now e.g. I would like to look at repeat series of 24 as I missed a couple of these, plus Sky are already promoting the brand new series of Mad Men, which has been a popular programme for some (I’ve not watched it personally).

It is starting to feel like the time when access to Sky 1 was denied (a problem for all those fans of Lost at the time and could apply to Mad Men fans soon). Content access is key, any above that is a bonus. For myself, I would be happy enough to see XL package only access to content like Atlantic and even a £1 per month increase to cover (I believe I read elsewhere on Cable Forum that Atlantic will end up in the Sky variety pack after 6 months so Sky customers will have to pay an uplift?)

[joff81]

Originally Posted by ozsat

And the other party say no - what do you do then?

No deal and then no channels!

The way keep closing the ex virgin channels we are going to end up with almost none of them anyway.

I remember reading that a long term carriage deal for the sold channels and sky basics was in place in the announcement of the sale, but this obviously didn't include any agreement of what to do if sky close the channels anytime within the agreement.
Sky bought the channels and then proceeded to close most of them, which would be fine if it was a case of pure cost cutting but to then launch new channels and keep them as exclusive to Sky. It just all stinks of screwing over VM and it's customers.

[muppetman11]

http://www.beehivecity.com/televisio...numbers176271/

Good iplayer numbers from VM

[telegramsam]

From what I`ve seen advertised so far the program content on sky atlantic looks very good so I`m hopeing we get it. Mind you if we don`t I for one wont be switching to sky. Regarding the CBS channels getting them would be good. I`m sure virgin are working hard to bring us more channels but as we all know these things take time. I also think there may well come a time when virgin feel they can no longer offer HD channels for free. Time will tell I guess.

---------- Post added at 12:43 ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

Any deal should have included new channels and if not then they are a bunch of amateurs.

I agree any new channels should of been included in the deal,especially when they`re replacing existing ones.Virgin had alot of pulling power when they had Living,Virgin1 and Bravo channels and should of got a better deal than they got. When sky removed sky1 and their other channels they lost 4.5 million viewers and their advertisers weren`t happy,so it`s unlikely they`l do that again. I think sky Atlantic will certainly come to virgin,in sd at least.

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by telegramsam

From what I`ve seen advertised so far the program content on sky atlantic looks very good so I`m hopeing we get it. Mind you if we don`t I for one wont be switching to sky. Regarding the CBS channels getting them would be good. I`m sure virgin are working hard to bring us more channels but as we all know these things take time. I also think there may well come a time when virgin feel they can no longer offer HD channels for free. Time will tell I guess.

---------- Post added at 12:43 ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 ----------


I agree any new channels should of been included in the deal,especially when they`re replacing existing ones.Virgin had alot of pulling power when they had Living,Virgin1 and Bravo channels and should of got a better deal than they got. When sky removed sky1 and their other channels they lost 4.5 million viewers and their advertisers weren`t happy,so it`s unlikely they`l do that again. I think sky Atlantic will certainly come to virgin,in sd at least.

Sky were only interested in the Living brand, the freeview slots and Bravo programming.

Personally i'd expect Sky Atlantic(HD) to be an exclusive on Sky, until it goes into to Entertainment pack later in the year.

Sky's aim is to get as many Freeview viewers as possible to take at least a basic Sky sub. This is were Sky make the most money.

They will then sell it on to VM once the initial "must have it's" have moved over to them.

Enemy number one to Sky is Freeview. Closing Channel One (Virgin1) on Freeview was the next step

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

Sky were only interested in the Living brand, the freeview slots and Bravo programming.

Personally i'd expect Sky Atlantic(HD) to be an exclusive on Sky, until it goes into to Entertainment pack later in the year.

Sky's aim is to get as many Freeview viewers as possible to take at least a basic Sky sub. This is were Sky make the most money.

They will then sell it on to VM once the initial "must have it's" have moved over to them.

Enemy number one to Sky is Freeview. Closing Channel One (Virgin1) on Freeview was the next step

I always thought is was Virgin

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by winkle

I always thought is was Virgin

It used to be... but Virgin Media and Sky have a common enemy... Freeview

During the discussions both companies are said to have acknowledged that they have common ground, as they are staking their businesses on a pay model and broadband supply, and have a common enemy, in the Freeview digital terrestrial TV service.
Virgin1 is expected to disappear and BSkyB may well take advantage of Ofcom's backing for Picnic, its proposed digital terrestrial subscription service, in the regulator's pay-TV ruling.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010...skyb-five-sale

[denphone]

Virgins enemy is Sky but its like putting a 10lb gorilla against a 100lb one. Virgin need to merge with somone like Bt to compete with Sky.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by denphone

Virgins enemy is Sky but its like putting a 10lb gorilla against a 100lb one. Virgin need to merge with somone like Bt to compete with Sky.

Yeah like that would ever happen or be allowed to happen.

[mattboothers]

From February 1st.

" MTV finally loses pretentions of being a music channel by being reclassified as a general entertainment channel and moving from channel 350 to 126. However, MTV Networks is at the same time launching a new sub brand MTV Music, which will take the old 350 slot that leads the Music section within the Sky EPG, though MTV Shows will close."

Not yet sure if it will do a similar thing on Virgin Media.

[Media Boy UK]

As I told you last week:

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Media Boy EXCLUSIVE: Five to be rebrand next month.

I have been told today by an Virgin insider that Five will be rebranded as Channel 5 on February 14th.

Five will become Channel 5
Five HD will become Channel 5 HD

Then later in February Demand Five will be rebranded.

Digital Channels Fiver and Five USA will follow in March.

Channel 5 refreshes logo.

Channel 5 has unveiled its new logo ahead of a wider channel rebrand scheduled for mid-February.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/b...e?referrer=RSS