General : Changes to Virgin TV (2021)

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by johnasimmons

I actually already do that but it would be great if you could access all tv via the V6

I agree, but it seems that all hope of SA coming to VM is now lost. Virgin is not willing to add Now to the apps as BT and Talk Talk have done either, which is understandable, although they could have done this by tying it in with the need for customers to have the Sky channels in their package in order to access it. But there is no real advantage for Virgin viewers in that because I dare say Sky would not permit integration, which means we couldn’t search for SA programmes on the V6.

The channel may be wound up anyway at the end of Sky’s contract with HBO.

[Legendkiller2k]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I agree, but it seems that all hope of SA coming to VM is now lost. Virgin is not willing to add Now to the apps as BT and Talk Talk have done either, which is understandable, although they could have done this by tying it in with the need for customers to have the Sky channels in their package in order to access it. But there is no real advantage for Virgin viewers in that because I dare say Sky would not permit integration, which means we couldn’t search for SA programmes on the V6.

The channel may be wound up anyway at the end of Sky’s contract with HBO.

Very unlikely considering they also show SKY originals, Showtime and Starz content on there amongst others.
SKY are planning to seriously invest in original content, and by serious we're talking big money.

[Phunkenstein]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I agree, but it seems that all hope of SA coming to VM is now lost. Virgin is not willing to add Now to the apps as BT and Talk Talk have done either, which is understandable, although they could have done this by tying it in with the need for customers to have the Sky channels in their package in order to access it. But there is no real advantage for Virgin viewers in that because I dare say Sky would not permit integration, which means we couldn’t search for SA programmes on the V6.

The channel may be wound up anyway at the end of Sky’s contract with HBO.

As LK2K states, this seems unlikely - HBO programming has been farmed out across multiple channel brands so it is not completely reliant on that output and remember it is a pan-European brand for Sky's high end drama output especially as they increase their content budget and fill their Sky Studios pipeline with new shows.

HBO's deal gives them a clear runway and a buffer to build that pipeline and it's shows like Hausen, Das Boot, Domina and Django that really suggest the future of Sky Atlantic as the primary home for high end drama ordered by Sky Studios, made across the UK/IE, Germany and Italy but serving all of those territories.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

You should add "unless you're name is jfman"

I’m on a deal for Now just it’s still about 300% of what Max is paying.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Phunkenstein

As LK2K states, this seems unlikely - HBO programming has been farmed out across multiple channel brands so it is not completely reliant on that output and remember it is a pan-European brand for Sky's high end drama output especially as they increase their content budget and fill their Sky Studios pipeline with new shows.

HBO's deal gives them a clear runway and a buffer to build that pipeline and it's shows like Hausen, Das Boot, Domina and Django that really suggest the future of Sky Atlantic as the primary home for high end drama ordered by Sky Studios, made across the UK/IE, Germany and Italy but serving all of those territories.

I’m sure you are right, but the name ‘Atlantic’ would no longer be appropriate.

To be honest, they could put all the Sky Studios stuff on Sky One and drop some of the dross. That would make it a pretty good channel.

[Phunkenstein]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I’m sure you are right, but the name ‘Atlantic’ would no longer be appropriate.

To be honest, they could put all the Sky Studios stuff on Sky One and drop some of the dross. That would make it a pretty good channel.

Well I wouldn't imagine there would be a total loss of US programming - I would imagine there would still be acquisitions, co-productions, other possible output partners and (most likely) closer integration with NBCUniversal - plus the name is fairly distinctive among their portfolio so why drop it?

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

You should add "unless you're name is jfman"

Yeah....

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I’m sure you are right, but the name ‘Atlantic’ would no longer be appropriate.

To be honest, they could put all the Sky Studios stuff on Sky One and drop some of the dross. That would make it a pretty good channel.

Aye they really should. a lot of companies keep a ton of channels open which could be condensed a great deal.

i know this is controversial but i always thought getting rid of BBC3 and keeping BBC2 and BBC4 was slightly redundant since they were aimed at the same at the same audience and had such similar shows.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by vincerooney

Aye they really should. a lot of companies keep a ton of channels open which could be condensed a great deal.

i know this is controversial but i always thought getting rid of BBC3 and keeping BBC2 and BBC4 was slightly redundant since they were aimed at the same at the same audience and had such similar shows.

I wouldn't say similar shows, but they basically moved several genres of shows off BBC2 to create BBC4 back in the day. My BBC2 watching reduced dramatically after BBC4 became available.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I’m sure you are right, but the name ‘Atlantic’ would no longer be appropriate.

To be honest, they could put all the Sky Studios stuff on Sky One and drop some of the dross. That would make it a pretty good channel.

I think there's some non-UK/US content on Atlantic at the moment isn't there? Like Radio Times it's a strong brand which I'm sure will outlive its original framing.

As long as Sky makes money from having Sky One and Sky Atlantic then I see no reason for it to drop one of these channels. As others have noted, the cost of running an extra channel is marginal if you already have rights to the content. And how many people might ask why their subscriptions are rising this month if the number of Sky channels is being reduced?

[Phunkenstein]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I think there's some non-UK/US content on Atlantic at the moment isn't there? Like Radio Times it's a strong brand which I'm sure will outlive its original framing.

As long as Sky makes money from having Sky One and Sky Atlantic then I see no reason for it to drop one of these channels. As others have noted, the cost of running an extra channel is marginal if you already have rights to the content. And how many people might ask why their subscriptions are rising this month if the number of Sky channels is being reduced?

Absolutely - they’ve had shows which have originated from Australia like Upright and don’t forget some of Sky’s biggest critical and cultural hits have come from Italy and Germany like Gomorrah, The Young Pope, Das Boot and Babylon Berlin... I don’t think the name of the channel is as literal as it may have been back in 2011.

[cheekyangus]

iPlayer for TVs is getting an update. There's no indication of the platform update schedule, but I've checked my V6 and the changes aren't implemented on it yet.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet...e-2966cf499ae2

The changes are mainly to do with playback controls and subtitles. Button changes and more flexibility for sizing basically.

[BenMcr]

The changes are currently in the iPlayer beta option on the V6 if you really want to try them out before the BBC pushing the button on the main version

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

The changes are currently in the iPlayer beta option on the V6 if you really want to try them out before the BBC pushing the button on the main version

Thanks BenMcr.

[1701-e]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

The changes are currently in the iPlayer beta option on the V6 if you really want to try them out before the BBC pushing the button on the main version

Have been using for a while. Excellent improvement