General : Virgin TV (2024)

[OLD BOY]

Sky’s HBO contract comes to an end and these shows will be found on new streamer ‘Max’ from the beginning of 2026.

Good news for VM viewers because Sky will no longer keep these good dramas away from the Virgin platform. So we’ll no longer have to subscribe to NOW just to see the dramas that are exclusive to Sky Atlantic.

Max should be available on the Virgin platform from the start, and this will include Discovery+ material, also missing from Virgin currently.

Don’t expect anything great in respect of the TV channels. Any news will be about rebrandings, channel closures and shopping channels going HD - oh, and lots of those dreadful FAST channels that few people watch!

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Don’t expect anything great in respect of the TV channels. Any news will be about rebrandings, channel closures and shopping channels going HD - oh, and lots of those dreadful FAST channels that few people watch!

Following has been testing at Virgin Media HQ for weeks now so may launch early next year on Virgin:

Linear Channel:
*Cruise1st.tv

FAST Channels:
*Sky Artist of the Year
*Hell's Kitchen
*Egg Heads
*Sky Sports Stories
*Sky Sports Classics
*Sky Sports Vault

Info from UK Cable TV Changes

https://ukcabletvchanges.blogspot.com/

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Sky’s HBO contract comes to an end and these shows will be found on new streamer ‘Max’ from the beginning of 2026.

Good news for VM viewers because Sky will no longer keep these good dramas away from the Virgin platform. So we’ll no longer have to subscribe to NOW just to see the dramas that are exclusive to Sky Atlantic.

Max should be available on the Virgin platform from the start, and this will include Discovery+ material, also missing from Virgin currently.

Don’t expect anything great in respect of the TV channels. Any news will be about rebrandings, channel closures and shopping channels going HD - oh, and lots of those dreadful FAST channels that few people watch!

We'll save by not having to pay for Now TV, though I get plenty of good offers. Best Entertainment offer (for Sky Atlantic) £1 and the best for Sky Cinema was free!

Trouble is, we'll have to subscribe to HBO and I bet that it won't be available for £1 a month.

Having said that, HBO is the only streaming service that has remotely caught my interest.

The forthcoming shopping channel showcasing cruises is also something that I will find interesting and possibly useful if any can accommodate my disabilities.

[Inactive Digital]

I wonder if it could be a 1 January launch for the Sky FAST channels - it wouldn't be the first time Sky channels have been added on New Year's Day.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Inactive Digital

I wonder if it could be a 1 January launch for the Sky FAST channels - it wouldn't be the first time Sky channels have been added on New Year's Day.

You ever know - I did forgot about that.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

We'll save by not having to pay for Now TV, though I get plenty of good offers. Best Entertainment offer (for Sky Atlantic) £1 and the best for Sky Cinema was free!

Trouble is, we'll have to subscribe to HBO and I bet that it won't be available for £1 a month.

Having said that, HBO is the only streaming service that has remotely caught my interest.

The forthcoming shopping channel showcasing cruises is also something that I will find interesting and possibly useful if any can accommodate my disabilities.

Max will most certainly be more expensive, but the real savings will come from no longer subscribing to the TV channels. If you decided to get Virgin Stream, all your content would be on the streamers (although I know that moving to streaming only is not something you are particularly fired up about)!

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

Winter Fuel Allowance axe blamed for TV shopping channel closure

https://rxtvinfo.com/2024/winter-fue...annel-closure/

So, nothing to do with the mountain of debt they had built up over many years before axing the fuel allowance was even thought of... It was simply an unsustainable business plan and would have continued to be unsustainable even if the fuel allowance had been doubled.

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Sky’s HBO contract comes to an end and these shows will be found on new streamer ‘Max’ from the beginning of 2026.

Good news for VM viewers because Sky will no longer keep these good dramas away from the Virgin platform. So we’ll no longer have to subscribe to NOW just to see the dramas that are exclusive to Sky Atlantic.

Max should be available on the Virgin platform from the start, and this will include Discovery+ material, also missing from Virgin currently.

Don’t expect anything great in respect of the TV channels. Any news will be about rebrandings, channel closures and shopping channels going HD - oh, and lots of those dreadful FAST channels that few people watch!

wonder what will happen to sky atlantic?

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by vincerooney

wonder what will happen to sky atlantic?

I hear it staying.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

I hear it staying.

I assume they'll still show HBO content on it but that content won't be exclusive to Sky anymore since it will also be available via the multi-platform HBO app.

Sky could of course decide to to keep some Comcast and Sky content exclusive to the Sky Atlantic channel.

[TimeLord2018]

Most of HBO back catalogue will gone in early 2026 same with Sky Comedy, only their 'existing franchise and their future series' will remain but not exclusive, new HBO shows e.g Lanterns and Harry Potter(and most likely other new Warner Bros TV series they own internationally) will be exclusive to Max, should have called the service Warner Max.

The plan seems to be invest in original programming, Sky will be saving money from 2026.
https://www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/artic...ch-ever-on-sky

Sky do appear to have produced some popular shows this year.

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018

Most of HBO back catalogue will gone in early 2026 same with Sky Comedy, only their 'existing franchise and their future series' will remain but not exclusive, new HBO shows e.g Lanterns and Harry Potter(and most likely other new Warner Bros TV series they own internationally) will be exclusive to Max, should have called the service Warner Max.

The plan seems to be invest in original programming, Sky will be saving money from 2026.
https://www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/artic...ch-ever-on-sky

ah so theyll probably keep sky Atlantic separate still. however if people haven't jumped onto now tv by now i dont think they will going forward

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I assume they'll still show HBO content on it but that content won't be exclusive to Sky anymore since it will also be available via the multi-platform HBO app.

Sky could of course decide to to keep some Comcast and Sky content exclusive to the Sky Atlantic channel.

Yes, good point. The big question for me is whether the additional Sky content from Sky Studios will be compelling enough to make me want to subscribe. There is very little on Sky that we watch any more in our house.

‘The Day of the Jackal’ looks good, though.

[Media Boy UK]

Hot on the back of POP Linear channels closing on December 1st on Freeview

Narrative Entertainment has done more cutting this time with a axe of website for Great! channels but it takes you to Great! Player website.