MI
Nice one. How long before Sky goes back to Virgin, cap in hand, saying Please Mr Branson can we come back?
Quote:
Pay-TV operator BSkyB has seen the audience share of its premier channels plummet since it withdrew them from the Virgin Media cable platform last month, new figures show.
Sky News has fallen by 23 per cent in the first two weeks of March compared with the same period last year. Sky One, which screens Lost and The Simpsons, has registered a more dramatic decline, dropping by 34 per cent so far this month, according to industry sources.
A significant decline was inevitable after Sky pulled the channels following a dispute over the amount Virgin pays for them. But the extent of the fall will horrify advertisers, who are likely to demand lower rates to compensate. Sky News now has a 0.36 per cent share and Sky One's stands at 1.22 per cent.
Sky News has fallen by 23 per cent in the first two weeks of March compared with the same period last year. Sky One, which screens Lost and The Simpsons, has registered a more dramatic decline, dropping by 34 per cent so far this month, according to industry sources.
A significant decline was inevitable after Sky pulled the channels following a dispute over the amount Virgin pays for them. But the extent of the fall will horrify advertisers, who are likely to demand lower rates to compensate. Sky News now has a 0.36 per cent share and Sky One's stands at 1.22 per cent.
Nice one. How long before Sky goes back to Virgin, cap in hand, saying Please Mr Branson can we come back?
BF
Question: What do people think about the possibility in the future of Living, Bravo & Challenge being pulled from the Sky platform??
CW
If Virgin Media have paid Sky for their channels to be on the platform (as I believe they have) then Sky wouldn't be able to easily pull the channels. With the Sky channels on cable it was Sky wanting money for them and them pulling the channels as they didn't get the money they wanted.
Charlie Wells
Moderator
Bewitched_Fan_2k posted:
Question: What do people think about the possibility in the future of Living, Bravo & Challenge being pulled from the Sky platform??
If Virgin Media have paid Sky for their channels to be on the platform (as I believe they have) then Sky wouldn't be able to easily pull the channels. With the Sky channels on cable it was Sky wanting money for them and them pulling the channels as they didn't get the money they wanted.
BF
Yes, but I mean when that contract expires, they could do to retaliate.
Charlie Wells posted:
If Virgin Media have paid Sky for their channels to be on the platform (as I believe they have) then Sky wouldn't be able to easily pull the channels. With the Sky channels on cable it was Sky wanting money for them and them pulling the channels as they didn't get the money they wanted.
Yes, but I mean when that contract expires, they could do to retaliate.
ST
Yes, but I mean when that contract expires, they could do to retaliate.
I was under the impression that the contracts had been re-negociated recently and Sky is paying far less for the VM channels now than they were before, so when they demanded almost double for their basic channels to be on VM, it must have felt [to VM]like [Sky was] rubbing salt in the wound. I would think it difficult for VM to pull thier channels, for the time being, at least.
Personally, I hope the drop in revenue for Sky is so much, that shareholders, advertisers, etc put adequate pressure on them to relent.
Bewitched_Fan_2k posted:
Charlie Wells posted:
If Virgin Media have paid Sky for their channels to be on the platform (as I believe they have) then Sky wouldn't be able to easily pull the channels. With the Sky channels on cable it was Sky wanting money for them and them pulling the channels as they didn't get the money they wanted.
Yes, but I mean when that contract expires, they could do to retaliate.
I was under the impression that the contracts had been re-negociated recently and Sky is paying far less for the VM channels now than they were before, so when they demanded almost double for their basic channels to be on VM, it must have felt [to VM]like [Sky was] rubbing salt in the wound. I would think it difficult for VM to pull thier channels, for the time being, at least.
Personally, I hope the drop in revenue for Sky is so much, that shareholders, advertisers, etc put adequate pressure on them to relent.
BF
Ok- so that ain't going to happen I know, but I was thinking outside the box. Looking at where this could lead.
Having just switched to get Sky One back (my choice - jump on me all you want), I would hate to loose Challange I love eggheads & crystal maze repeats.
Having just switched to get Sky One back (my choice - jump on me all you want), I would hate to loose Challange I love eggheads & crystal maze repeats.
OH
ohwhatanight
Founding member
VM surely know that it would be suicide to pull the channels from the Sky platform - but they could instead go free to air.
I could really see a rival provider offering digital satellite services coming soon - that would really show Sky that there is another way!
I could really see a rival provider offering digital satellite services coming soon - that would really show Sky that there is another way!
BF
Back in 1989 there was Sky and BSB remember and sky bought BSB out?????
Sky has always been a vicous beast since day one, but as one with minorty interests who always wants to pick & choose what he watches. They've got what I want and have me over a barrell, I'll not fight them.
Only went for Telewest (then VM) originally for ease of access to the service.
Quote:
that would really show Sky that there is another way!
Back in 1989 there was Sky and BSB remember and sky bought BSB out?????
Sky has always been a vicous beast since day one, but as one with minorty interests who always wants to pick & choose what he watches. They've got what I want and have me over a barrell, I'll not fight them.
Only went for Telewest (then VM) originally for ease of access to the service.
MG
Get David Elstein to become a chairman and CEO of Virgin Media, buy ITV to become part of VM?
BR
At the risk of backing Sky's complaint about the cable network, if Sky did drop the Virgin channels Virgin would still be able to offer them on satellite if they have transponder space - probably for free, perhaps as a subscription package, and I think Sky would be legally obliged to keep their EPG slots for them.
DA
Dave
Founding member
Just seen over at Digital Spy that Virgin Media are going to develop a Virgin branded DTT set top box and provide it with broadband and unlimited phone calls for £19.99 a month
Full Story
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/utilities/galleryview.php/NEWS-7209-674729cb634190f17dd6118b8a44f31e.jpg
Not sure what to make of this, I don’t understand what VM are goign to be getting out of it. I could understand if it was a IPTV enabled STB but it seem to be just a standard Freeview box with the VM logo on it.
On the other hand it is a good way of raising brand awareness, the IPTV enabled box could also be a PVR like the V+ box.
I wonder if the box is rented from VM like the cable box of is then owned by the customer.
Full Story
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/utilities/galleryview.php/NEWS-7209-674729cb634190f17dd6118b8a44f31e.jpg
Not sure what to make of this, I don’t understand what VM are goign to be getting out of it. I could understand if it was a IPTV enabled STB but it seem to be just a standard Freeview box with the VM logo on it.
On the other hand it is a good way of raising brand awareness, the IPTV enabled box could also be a PVR like the V+ box.
I wonder if the box is rented from VM like the cable box of is then owned by the customer.