Virgin Media

I think Virgin Media would be well within their rights to black out a Sky channel for 30 seconds or so each time they show that ad until it has finished.

Why would they put in the effort? I honestly think that a lot of people would go...

"ntl:Virgin? Who's that? I'm with NTL!" The name would would have to be exactly as they know it

So I wonder how many people have bothered to ring up ? And what Virgin Media's official response is.

Whatever the motives, it's totally unprofessional conduct from Sky. To effectively intimidate and manipulate viewers is underhand. The negotiations should be taking place outside of the public arena.

I'm sure it must be against some kind of advertising code of practice.

Didn't Nickelodeon pull a similar stunt when the carriage negotiations collapsed for the Nick channels on cable a wee while back. Granted, it wasn't so much of a bluff in that context, but a very odd position to take.

Thought I'd say something else (even if its not very much).

Why does the advert feel like one of those chain email thingies you get sometimes telling you MSN is closing down?

As has been said, its amazingly unprofessional.

Virgin Media are creating Virgin Central too - an IPTV video on demand channel - details below:

http://www.tvforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24056

Its already been mentioned here: (Skip back a page)

Agreed, Sky seem to want to cause friction with their rivals all the time be it On Digital, ITV Digital, NTL, Telewest, Virgin Media, Freeview, etc.

I don't reall get this Virgin Central thing. We've had VOD for ages on cable, and it appears to be a VOD channel.... which is an oxymoron.

I'm assuming it's just an easy way to get into the Teleport service that we already have

Hmmm, Im getting a bit confused here!

So Sky want Virgin Media to pay more for just Sky One, Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Travel?

I think VM could survive without those channels but where it would really hurt is if they lost the Sky Movies and Sky Sports!

But with Setanta becoming a big player they could negotiate a deal directly with Setanta and probably already have.

Sky Digital is surely just a broadcast media for delivery of hundreds of tv channels - all SKy have control over and could use as a bargaining tool are Sky One, Two, Three, Travel, News, Sports News, Sky Sports, Sky Movies.

Aren't all the hundreds of other channels all independant and VM would strike stand-alone contracts with these broadcasters?

I could easily live without the Sky 'family' of channels - if thats all they were!

I think it's selling point is that you create a schedule of programmes. Apart from that, it's more or less exactly the same.

All the stuff that we currently have to pay £5 extra a month for (or free if you are in the top package) will become free when the channel launches om the 20th I think.