General : ITV threaten to blackout on Virgin

[Hom3r]

If ITV does get pulled, I'm going to miss X-factor.

NOT.

[johnathome]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Wasn't it TVCatchup?

https://tvcatchup.com

Edit: Looks like it's as you say, just channels 1-5 now (plus some extra ones like shopping channels that would be happy to give permission).

Thanks, that was the one. It was good at the time but it's been superseded by the TVPlayer app.

[Itshim]

Go for it ITV not on virgin= price cut. Smart TV ,freeview etc means watching the odd show as and when I want to please stop it on virgin .win win for most,if not all one way or another!

[buckeye]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I meant the line feed as opposed to the satellite signal.

---------- Post added at 12:50 ---------- Previous post was at 12:13 ----------

Actually, this thing about VM showing one ITV region across the whole country is probably a tactic being threatened by them.

There is no technical reason why Virgin Media couldn't take FTA satellite feeds for all of the regions, the UK wide thing sounds like a clever threat to scare ITV into backing down.

Very few viewers would quit Virgin because they couldn't get their own region because most of the output is now exactly the same, however, ITV's advertising revenues would be seriously harmed.

It would also be a lot simpler for Virgin to only use one region should it go down this route.

The only thing that viewers might miss would be the local news; with many switching to the BBC.

If its within the law for VM to retransmit an alternative ITV feed why do they need to rely on satellite transmissions? Couldn't each headend take the local Freeview signal?
Wouldn't that satisfy most regional needs?

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by buckeye

If its within the law for VM to retransmit an alternative ITV feed why do they need to rely on satellite transmissions? Couldn't each headend take the local Freeview signal?
Wouldn't that satisfy most regional needs?

Yes they can, and indeed did until 2009/10. But it's better done centrally as that avoids unnecessary duplicate equipment in many regional headends, some of which have power and space constraints, and the channels can then be centrally monitored.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Yes they can, and indeed did until 2009/10. But it's better done centrally as that avoids unnecessary duplicate equipment in many regional headends, some of which have power and space constraints, and the channels can then be centrally monitored.

Plus they haven't got an aerial on VM towers.

[1andrew1]

ITV have said nothing will happen until the new Chief Exec joins in January and then takes a fresh look at the issue so we're all good for a while yet.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Mr K

Plus they haven't got an aerial on VM towers.

They do have them, but not necessarily on the same building. For my local headend, the aerials are on a tower block about a mile away.

Originally Posted by buckeye

If its within the law for VM to retransmit an alternative ITV feed why do they need to rely on satellite transmissions? Couldn't each headend take the local Freeview signal?
Wouldn't that satisfy most regional needs?

Phew! they can't just wind back NGTV central distribution. People might start asking for their local radio stations back if local headend feeds returned.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by buckeye

If its within the law for VM to retransmit an alternative ITV feed why do they need to rely on satellite transmissions? Couldn't each headend take the local Freeview signal?
Wouldn't that satisfy most regional needs?

I doubt that VM will want to go to too much trouble or cost to keep ITV regionality as this mainly benefits ITV.

Apart from local news & current affairs the programmes are now exactly the same.

Pumping one national feed around the UK will be easier and cheaper, allow VM to keep their customers supplied with almost every ITV programme, annoy ITV's advertiser's and drive viewers who want local news & current affairs to the BBC or even the failing local TV channels!

I suspect (hope) that they will use the London Audio Description feed in order to maintain that service for those that are sight impaired.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Pumping one national feed around the UK will be easier and cheaper, allow VM to keep their customers supplied with almost every ITV programme, annoy ITV's advertiser's and drive viewers who want local news & current affairs to the BBC or even the failing local TV channels!

I suspect (hope) that they will use the London Audio Description feed in order to maintain that service for those that are sight impaired.

ITV's local advertisers are probably annoyed most of the time, their ads usually don't appear on whatever flavour of ITV HD happens to be available in the local region. So I wouldn't expect ITV to be too worried by that, it's almost business as usual.

I would prefer that, if ITV cut, or threaten to cut the feed, VM removes the channels and lets ITV deal with the full impact of the loss of advertising revenue.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Two things on this matter.

1st, Why doesn't VM just pay the money it owes ITV. As at the end of the day - its us that will be picking up the tab. As VM will simply put the price up for customers

2nd. If people went to Sky, they can get regional channels on that. I can get ITV Scotland on my Sky system. And l live near Hounslow Middlesex,

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Two things on this matter.

1st, Why doesn't VM just pay the money it owes ITV. As at the end of the day - its us that will be picking up the tab. As VM will simply put the price up for customers

2nd. If people went to Sky, they can get regional channels on that. I can get ITV Scotland on my Sky system. And l live near Hounslow Middlesex,

1st. VM can't keep on putting up prices or it would lose lots of subscribers. The market is competitive with offerings from BT, EE, PlusNet, TalkTalk, Now TV, Amazon, Netflix as well as Sky all competing for VM's customers.

[Raider999]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Two things on this matter.

1st, Why doesn't VM just pay the money it owes ITV. As at the end of the day - its us that will be picking up the tab. As VM will simply put the price up for customers

2nd. If people went to Sky, they can get regional channels on that. I can get ITV Scotland on my Sky system. And l live near Hounslow Middlesex,

You seem to be very much in the minority - most people do not want to pay for a channel that is and should be freely available.

However, every one is entitled to their opinion - just volunteer to pay extra if you want to, 99% of the posters on here don't.

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Two things on this matter.

1st, Why doesn't VM just pay the money it owes ITV. As at the end of the day - its us that will be picking up the tab. As VM will simply put the price up for customers

2nd. If people went to Sky, they can get regional channels on that. I can get ITV Scotland on my Sky system. And l live near Hounslow Middlesex,

What a load of crap, explain to me why Virgin owe ITV anything?