OL
In case anyone else is interested this seems to be the story, be interesting to see if it happens:
Virgin Media 'considers rolling news channel'
UK cable operator Virgin Media is reportedly set to enter the rolling news channel market, using ITN as content partner. ITN produced the rolling news channel for ITV—its closure in January 2006 left two major players fighting for viewers: Sky News and BBC News 24.
Broadcast magazine said the channel was likely to be a 24-hour TV news channel though it could also launch on broadband. Virgin Media customers lost Sky News and other Sky basic channels in March after BSkyB and Virgin Media failed to agree a pricing formula that was acceptable to both sides.
Since then Virgin Media has announced the launch of Virgin 1, a general entertainment channel, and is launching a sports news channel with Irish sports broadcaster Setanta.
A source told Broadcast: "It makes sense that a news channel will be next, although they are hugely expensive to run and it is a crowded market place. [Virgin Media content chief] Malcolm [Wall] will not do it unless he is happy that it is the right thing to do."
Launched in 2000 as the ITN News Channel, and renamed the ITV News Channel when ITV purchased it in 2002, the loss-making news service was the UK's least-watched of the three rolling news channels, despite prominent cross promotion on ITV's flagship channel, ITV1, and strong reputation for its journalism
Virgin Media 'considers rolling news channel'
UK cable operator Virgin Media is reportedly set to enter the rolling news channel market, using ITN as content partner. ITN produced the rolling news channel for ITV—its closure in January 2006 left two major players fighting for viewers: Sky News and BBC News 24.
Broadcast magazine said the channel was likely to be a 24-hour TV news channel though it could also launch on broadband. Virgin Media customers lost Sky News and other Sky basic channels in March after BSkyB and Virgin Media failed to agree a pricing formula that was acceptable to both sides.
Since then Virgin Media has announced the launch of Virgin 1, a general entertainment channel, and is launching a sports news channel with Irish sports broadcaster Setanta.
A source told Broadcast: "It makes sense that a news channel will be next, although they are hugely expensive to run and it is a crowded market place. [Virgin Media content chief] Malcolm [Wall] will not do it unless he is happy that it is the right thing to do."
Launched in 2000 as the ITN News Channel, and renamed the ITV News Channel when ITV purchased it in 2002, the loss-making news service was the UK's least-watched of the three rolling news channels, despite prominent cross promotion on ITV's flagship channel, ITV1, and strong reputation for its journalism
DU
I strongly doubt this will happen.
A new 24 hour news channel will be a loss leader for years, with minimal chance of ever making a profit.
It's frankly not worth the effort of Virgin Media to raise their profile- the tens of millions potentially pumped into such a venture would be much better spent on making Virgin 1 a credible entertainment channel...that can be done with a loss less money than it takes to make a credible news channel.
Surprisingly sloppy reporting from Broadcast too- the deal with Setanta for the sports news channel is still up in the air as far as I'm aware...and I believe the proposed launch date (around now) has been put back considerably.
A new 24 hour news channel will be a loss leader for years, with minimal chance of ever making a profit.
It's frankly not worth the effort of Virgin Media to raise their profile- the tens of millions potentially pumped into such a venture would be much better spent on making Virgin 1 a credible entertainment channel...that can be done with a loss less money than it takes to make a credible news channel.
Surprisingly sloppy reporting from Broadcast too- the deal with Setanta for the sports news channel is still up in the air as far as I'm aware...and I believe the proposed launch date (around now) has been put back considerably.