Virgin Media(ex-Telewest/NTL) Pulls plug on Sky News, Sky One etc

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(Branson is the largest single shareholder in the new Virgin Media fwiw)

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:08 (seventeen years ago) link

This is all a bit like Man Utd getting huffy with Chelsea for having too much money.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:09 (seventeen years ago) link

Sky have already lost ground on their monopoly of live football coverage at least.

That will be where 3 channels now carry it, forcing people to pay 3 seperate fees, which of course will end up being more than the £50 season ticket we get just now?

Cheers for that.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:12 (seventeen years ago) link

I don't know how you can all stand it, tbh. "jump through this hoop. Now this one." etc

― Pashmina, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:18 (seventeen years ago) link

At the end of the day, football's the winner.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:18 (seventeen years ago) link

Sky weren't going to let Virgin carry their channels whatever happened and hiking up the price makes it look like Virgin's fault.

maybe so. but then perhaps Branson is just playing them at their own game by forcing things in this way. if it means another company has more chance to operate and compete at Sky's level then surely that's a good thing in the long-term. obv. it's a massive gamble in short-term because people will switch to Sky for the American imports. i don't know how Branson's planning to deal with that but it's a bit exciting at least.

RJG it's not as simple as that. expanding on things beyond one sentence...why do people want to watch Sky stuff? because they have far more power than their 'rivals' and can throw cash to get what they want, and they'll pay more for all those desirable US imports. but surely there's a line to cross before this becomes an unfair advantage or in some respects a monopoly.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:19 (seventeen years ago) link

I find it hard to believe Ofcom will go along with the idea of having two distinct and competing pay-for-DTT offerings possibly requiring different boxes (Freeview+TopUpTV vs. whatever Sky wants to cook up).

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:23 (seventeen years ago) link

well DTT is available through Homechoice box as well as Freeview, Virgin/NTL and Sky Digital/Plus no? plus (unsupported) Tivo?

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:25 (seventeen years ago) link

Wait ha sorry. I thought DTT just meant digital terrestrial television, which is what I thought Freeview was.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:27 (seventeen years ago) link

[Removed Illegal Image]

But rightly or wrongly this is pretty much how it works in every single industry in the world!

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:30 (seventeen years ago) link

sorry yes, Freeview are the only ones actually supplying it as DTT. The others use cable or satellite to carry those same traditional terrestrial/otherwise analogue channels.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:31 (seventeen years ago) link

(Tivo's only a recorder. might be different in the states but here it's just a pvr. they were originally Sky branded, before Sky did the Sky+ thing, but you needed an external box.)

― koogs, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:33 (seventeen years ago) link

But Matt it would be like having to have two separate DAB radios just to hear all the stations! Traditionally, this kind of thing has not worked in the marketplace and I think Ofcom would be doing everyone a favour by prohibiting it.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:34 (seventeen years ago) link

We are one of the few countries not to have multiple commercial platforms on each broadcast platform. Most other european countries have at least two satellite operators and differeing numbers of DTT pay TV platforms although most other countries didn't allow a a non CI based encryption system like what sky has as well.

It also didn't help the BSB's technology was superior but more expensive that Sky's back when both platforms launched in the late 80s, nor that neither tech was interoperable meaning that you had to repurchase/reinstall equipment if you wanted to switch.

― Ed, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:35 (seventeen years ago) link

cool i wasn't sure whether they were also receivers.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:35 (seventeen years ago) link

BSB = Betamax

lol 'squariels'

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:36 (seventeen years ago) link

Matt by the way I hope you realize that breaking the law to prove your point isn't impressing anyone.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:37 (seventeen years ago) link

The squariel concept was pretty good but it is interesting that no one else has ever used the concept.

― Ed, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:40 (seventeen years ago) link

(I'm not really defending Sky here, I think the consumer is the loser here, but I very much doubt Ofcom will take any steps to prohibit this sort of thing and under current rules Sky is perfectly entitled to do what it's done).

((Actually Virgin will be the big loser here unless it is very savvy))

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:46 (seventeen years ago) link

did Sky ever consider their own cable-based service? why did they stick by satellite dish all this time?

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:46 (seventeen years ago) link

NTL had a horrendous reputation for customer service.

From what I can work out the main difference between NTL customer service and VM customer service so far is that it now costs twice as much to phone them and tell them their kit doesn't work.

Is Virgin gaining or losing customers?

Gaining

Losing

― onimo, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:51 (seventeen years ago) link

It looks like this is ultimately going to effect Freeview too judging by the article I saw on the cover of Broadcast the other day; Sky going with their own subscription-only DTT package (requiring new hardware) and so removing Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News from free-to-air.

Michael Jones on Thursday, March 1, 2007 12:12 AM (11 hours ago)

This seems to be the consensus about Sky's strategy; my only question is - echoing blueski's question - why would they divert paying customers from their core satellite service? It can't just be to cater for people whose housing associations won't let them mount dishes.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:51 (seventeen years ago) link

how NTL survived bankruptcy is a wonder.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:53 (seventeen years ago) link

(Or maybe I should just read the article.)

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:53 (seventeen years ago) link

Ah, they are gaining BB and TV customers but losing phone customers

It said it had signed 78,100 new broadband subscribers and had 38,500 total TV net additions, up from 22,200 in the previous quarter, but said it had lost 64,300 telephony customers partly due to competitive pressure.

If you scan through a few news articles it's notable that some are going with "Gained 38500" while others are going with "Lost 37000" - when neither are strictly true.

― onimo, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:57 (seventeen years ago) link

I think they'll lose a load of customers over this fight with Sky.

It's prompted me to look around and I've worked out I can double my broadband speed, have a better selection of TV channels and still save ~£25 per month. Thank you beardy Branson for motivating me to get off my arse and dispense with your services.

― onimo, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:59 (seventeen years ago) link

Also Tracer the difference between TV and digital radio is that no one pays money for packages of radio stations. Unless you're talking solely about hardware in which case I think we're talking at cross-purposes.

why would they divert paying customers from their core satellite service?

Presumably either because they're planning to phase out the core satellite service over the long-term, because they can make more money for a subscription-only DTT service, or both.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:11 (seventeen years ago) link

Digital TV should be like digital radio (+ internet).

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:12 (seventeen years ago) link

Thank God I stopped working for Virgin Media when I got the chance. What a way to run a railroad! Homechoice though - they rock although I don't know how much they do now they've been taken over by Tiscali - only time can tell!

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:14 (seventeen years ago) link

Why have Homechoice not got their red button interactive service running yet?

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:17 (seventeen years ago) link

Essentially the big sticking point is that Sky is the only provider with its own content (commissioned or bought in or otherwise), right? So the only way Ofcom can act is to rule you can only be a service provider or a content provider, not both.

It's entirely possible I might be misunderstanding this totally.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:18 (seventeen years ago) link

Worst case scenario for sky is that if OFCOM or the competition commission forces sky to breakup into content and distribution arms.

― Ed, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:19 (seventeen years ago) link

Sky are the only ones with enough cash to fund and make their own shows yeah. Virgin may be able to do this at some point (they already do for their in-flight entertainment) but would take a lot of time and money.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:19 (seventeen years ago) link

Why have Homechoice not got their red button interactive service running yet?

Errr... I'm probably not really meant to say due to confidentiality but really it's cos of the way the service goes through telephone lines as opposed to cable/digital/satellite. It's technical really and I'm not too sure.

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:20 (seventeen years ago) link

By 'content provider' I don't mean Sky make their own shows, I mean they own their own channels. Virgin and Homechoice just aggregate channels from other companies, right?

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:20 (seventeen years ago) link

Homechoice has it's own 'channels' except really they're just rolling ads for their interactive services i.e. video on demand. Still counts as content tho.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:22 (seventeen years ago) link

What Virgin really need to do is quit whining and buy up some TV channels quickly. Or hope that OFCOM split Sky into content and distribution.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:25 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh actually, Virgin owns what used to be Flextech and runs Bravo etc, right? So technically they could pull that content from Sky and will probably do so as soon as they're legally allowed. Not sure whether or not that would convince many consumers not to switch to Sky, mind.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:28 (seventeen years ago) link

Bravo has Heroes (though downlooters are 15 episodes ahead).

― onimo, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:29 (seventeen years ago) link

I think BBC Worldwide still owns some of Flextech and it would not be a spat that they could get involved in.

― Ed, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:32 (seventeen years ago) link

But virgin media do generate their own content, at least in part - the uktv channels are owned by a joint venture of the bbc and telewest who were merged with ntl and in turn virgin media.

― leigh, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:39 (seventeen years ago) link

oops x-post

― leigh, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:42 (seventeen years ago) link

x-post But isn't Heroes going to be on BBC2 in a few months?

― Guilty_Boksen, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:48 (seventeen years ago) link

Presumably because a) Bravo is part-owned by BBC Worldwide, and b) Heroes will have been over on Bravo for ages by then.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:49 (seventeen years ago) link

x-post But isn't Heroes going to be on BBC2 in a few months?

Yay, you can be even further behind for free (+ licence fee).

― onimo, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:49 (seventeen years ago) link

can't virgin whatsit just get their own american tv shows?

― ken c, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:59 (seventeen years ago) link

they might be able to outbid Sky for some of them soon.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 13:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Yeah they'll probably bid higher for L O S T just as Sawyer jumps Old Toothy.

― onimo, Thursday, 1 March 2007 13:06 (seventeen years ago) link

or, instead of this bidding thing, offer everyone who subscribe to virgin whatsit a really big fat broadband connection, plus a thing on your computer that can play mpeg videos into your virgin cable box as a channel.

i have NO IDEA what customers would do with such a set up, but just a thought.

― ken c, Thursday, 1 March 2007 13:08 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm not really bothered about being able to watch downloaded video on my TV for the mo. I can hook my laptop up to it if I really want to and that'll do until downloading directly onto TV really takes off.

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 13:19 (seventeen years ago) link

Skipping 24 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Of course I think you get the SPL games with that. So erm yeah that makes it all worthwhile doesn't it?

You're quids in if you're an old firm fan I suppose.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Saturday, 19 May 2007 17:49 (seventeen years ago) link

one year passes...

And tomorrow all sky channels we lost are back again.

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 12 November 2008 22:20 (fifteen years ago) link

why do you love sky news?

― conrad, Wednesday, 12 November 2008 22:24 (fifteen years ago) link

Because it's the best news station. And unlike anything else owned by fox it's unbiased politically.

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 12 November 2008 22:36 (fifteen years ago) link

and BBC 24 is dull shit

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 12 November 2008 22:37 (fifteen years ago) link

haha I forgot to watch the Simpsons. Oh well I will see it tomorrow.

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 13 November 2008 23:44 (fifteen years ago) link

I already own tonight's episodes on DVD! boo. But last night I saw Treehouse of Horror XIX, which was a directionless mess that didn't remotely resemble any era of The Simpsons I know (and it hasn't been that long since I was occasionally seeing new episodes, only a couple of years).

Sky Arts, which I've never seen before, looks like it could satisfy some of my BBC 4ish middle brow hankerings. But overall I don't think these new channels at my disposal does too much for me trying to find something to watch at 4am.

― Merdeyeux, Friday, 14 November 2008 20:17 (fifteen years ago) link

Yeah, I have seen all of the ones shown tonight. Bloody typical!!

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Friday, 14 November 2008 20:22 (fifteen years ago) link

As for 4am watching, you cant even watch UK Gold then now. The couldve put old dr whos or something on then. Booo.

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Friday, 14 November 2008 20:23 (fifteen years ago) link

six months pass...

I don't know if this is of any use to anyone, but Virgin Media currently have a deal where if you sign up and pick their "XL" TV package you can get a V+ (like Sky+ only for Virgin) for only £50 rather than the usual £100; and when I spoke to them today they eventually admitted that if I wanted to I could cancel the XL package and go back down to "L" without any recourse, thus instantly saving me £50 and not being saddled with paying more for a bunch of shitty channels I don't care about. Dude seemed genuinely amazed that nobody had mentioned it before...

― Background Zombie (CharlieNo4), Wednesday, 20 May 2009 17:01 (fifteen years ago) link

one year passes...

so it goes...

BSkyB buys Virgin Media TV channels in £160m deal
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10238515.stm

― mdskltr (blueski), Friday, 4 June 2010 16:48 (fourteen years ago) link

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