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Virgin Media

Discussion on the service (January 2007)

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OV
Orry Verducci
nwtv2003 posted:
If they do, I might do the same, we should have the alternative of watching Sky One without using a dish. I only usually watch it for The Simpsons and Futurama, but it comes pretty damn handy and keeps me entertained.

Say what you like about Sky One, but it's a popular channel and if it did leave Virgin Media then I think it would be rather damaging for the company.

And in all the time I've had Cable TV I've never known the relationship between the Cable Companies and Sky to be so low, if we still had CWC the we'd have no problem, as that was basically Sky on Cable and often backed Sky on many things.

It makes me wonder if all those buyouts of cable companies by NTL and Telewest years ago was such a good idea. I remember the good old days of Cambridge Cable, and if it was still that to day, I doubt there would be any threat of this area loosing Sky on cable.
DJ
DJ Dave
Can Virgin not just turn around and say, ok so when this contract you have with us runs out, we wont be giving you "Challenge, Living, Bravo etc etc"
NI
Nini
DJ Dave posted:
Can Virgin not just turn around and say, ok so when this contract you have with us runs out, we wont be giving you "Challenge, Living, Bravo etc etc"

Not much of a bargaining chip I'd reckon.
NW
nwtv2003
Nini posted:
DJ Dave posted:
Can Virgin not just turn around and say, ok so when this contract you have with us runs out, we wont be giving you "Challenge, Living, Bravo etc etc"

Not much of a bargaining chip I'd reckon.


My thoughts too, I like Challenge, but compared to Sky One its nothing really, I think if they did ever take Living from Sky all that people would miss would probably be Most Haunted.
WH
Whataday Founding member
nwtv2003 posted:
Nini posted:
DJ Dave posted:
Can Virgin not just turn around and say, ok so when this contract you have with us runs out, we wont be giving you "Challenge, Living, Bravo etc etc"

Not much of a bargaining chip I'd reckon.


My thoughts too, I like Challenge, but compared to Sky One its nothing really, I think if they did ever take Living from Sky all that people would miss would probably be Most Haunted.


I think I'm correct in saying that Virgin Media Television is in charge of distribution of the UKTV channels too. I read somewhere when BrightIdeas started on Freeview, it was their responsibility to negotiate carriage. So, with sit-up.tv that would mean the following channels are, in theory, under their control:

UKTV Gold
UKTV G2
UKTV G2 +1
UKTV Gold +1
UKTV Drama
UKTV Drama +1
UKTV Documentary
UKTV Documentary+1
UKTV People
UKTV History
UKTV History +1
UKTV Style
UKTV Style +1
UKTV Gardens
UKTV Food
UKTV Food +1
UKTV Bright Ideas.
Trouble
Trouble +1
Bravo
Bravo 2
Bravo+1
LIVING
LIVING +1
LIVING 2
Challenge
Ftn
bid tv
price-drop tv
speed auction tv

I would say those channels serve a substantial share of the multichannel audience.
JR
jrothwell97
Whataday posted:
I think I'm correct in saying that Virgin Media Television is in charge of distribution of the UKTV channels too. I read somewhere when BrightIdeas started on Freeview, it was their responsibility to negotiate carriage. So, with sit-up.tv that would mean the following channels are, in theory, under their control:

...

I would say those channels serve a substantial share of the multichannel audience.


Sort of. UKTV is a joint project between the BBC and Flextech, which IIRC was bought out by Virgin Media. Correct me if I'm wrong...
NW
nwtv2003
Whataday posted:
nwtv2003 posted:
Nini posted:
DJ Dave posted:
Can Virgin not just turn around and say, ok so when this contract you have with us runs out, we wont be giving you "Challenge, Living, Bravo etc etc"

Not much of a bargaining chip I'd reckon.


My thoughts too, I like Challenge, but compared to Sky One its nothing really, I think if they did ever take Living from Sky all that people would miss would probably be Most Haunted.


I think I'm correct in saying that Virgin Media Television is in charge of distribution of the UKTV channels too. I read somewhere when BrightIdeas started on Freeview, it was their responsibility to negotiate carriage. So, with sit-up.tv that would mean the following channels are, in theory, under their control:


True, but wouldn't BBC Worldwide have say if VMTV threaten to take the UKTV channels away from Sky, no denying again that the channels are popular, but not in the same level as Sky One, E4, ITV2 etc
BR
Brekkie
I think a crucial thing to remember as well is that it's just not a case of the consumer choosing Sky or Cable.

While Sky would be an option for alot of cable customers, for Sky customers if services became exclusive to Cable alot of them wouldn't be able to receive them even if they wanted too.
DA
Dave Founding member
Was just at a different forum talking about Virgin when I came across these screen shots of the New Virgin Central channel

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8329/vlcsnap2820528fi3.png

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/4176/vlcsnap2818612ng9.png

Hope the links works - I had to save the images and then upload them to imageshack as the direct links didn't work!

Looks like it will just a channel with a link to the VOD section where you can then choose what programme you want to watch. They just need to get the VOD demand rights to 24 and Lost and they can get rid of Sky One!

They may we be able to get rid of the Sky Movie Channels soon as they have "Over 500 films" available - not sure if they are the same as the ones that are on Sky Movies (Not Box Office) channels.

I just wish they would add the BBC Radio podcasts to the on demand section so i can listen/watch them without having to download them.
ST
Stuart
Ant posted:

I can hardly believe that ad. Very cheeky of BSkyB to do that, and abit uncalled for.

They also call them ntl:Virgin, which of course is incorrect as neither ntl: or Telewest actually exist as TV service providers anymore (altough probably as subsidiaries to Virgin) It's like the way politicians from Labour and the Conservatives refer to LibDems as "The Liberals", it's a deliberate sleight on their change many years ago.
IS
Inspector Sands
StuartPlymouth posted:
Ant posted:

I can hardly believe that ad. Very cheeky of BSkyB to do that, and abit uncalled for.


Doesn't work for me, the only Sky channel I ever watch is Sky News and I could do without it. Also having a former Telewest system I don't get Sky Travel.

I do wonder if Sky are bluffing, seeing that they're about to lose all their terrestrial viewers would they dare lose all their cable ones too
CW
Charlie Wells Moderator
It's rather unprofessional of them to show such an advert, not to mention childish.

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