General : Changes to Virgin TV (2021)

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

But BT Sport SD Channels was axe on Virgin Media in December 2018: https://mediaboyblog.blogspot.com/20...t-sd.html#more

Not a good time for digitalbitrate's Virgin Media monitor to be offline.

[ozsat]

Peacock is a free ad-funded service - like Pluto TV. You pay to reduce the amount of ads on Peacock.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

What concerns me is whether Peacock will be coming to VM. If it does, it seems that it will be at a cost.

---------- Post added at 06:11 ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 ----------

BTtv's own EPG had a new sport addition in the past couple of months - the full HDR version of BT Sport Ultimate.
They don't use HLG and so a different stream has to be used and viewers select the regular version or the HDR version.
Maybe a slate will be carried when there is no HDR programming - which is 99% of the time. There has only been one HDR programme since it launched but the football is back soon.
Here's hoping.

Originally Posted by epsilon

Hmmm! Interesting.

[RobboEdin]

All4 app and YouTube Kids app coming soon to TV 360:
https://community.virginmedia.com/t5...4784526#M17216

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Base on information given to us today by Media Boy Sources the following will happen on September 1st with the Sky Basic channels on Sky AND Virgin Media UK:

Closes
Sky One,
Sky One HD and
Sky One +1 (Only on Sky)

Launches:
Sky Showcase
Sky Showcase HD
Sky Showcase +1
Sky Max
Sky Max HD
Peacock to launch in UK and will be free to Sky customers. (Launch date TBC)

Stay as now:
Challenge
E! HD
E!
Movies 24
Movies 24 +
Pick
Pick +1 (Only on Sky)
SYFY HD
SYFY
SYFY +1
Sky Arts HD
Sky Arts
Sky Atlantic (Only on Sky)
Sky Atlantic HD (Only on Sky)
Sky Atlantic +1 (Only on Sky)
Sky Comedy HD
Sky Comedy
Sky Crime HD
Sky Crime
Sky Crime +1
Sky Replay
Sky Witness
Sky Witness HD
Sky Witness +1

Source: Media Boy Sources Given to Media Boy HQ today at 15.40 (3.40pm BST).

©copyright 2021 Media Boy 2006 - 2021. An ''Keep it real and free'' Production.

Originally Posted by Media Boy

My Sources say Sky Replay is staying.

Sky may ask Virgin Media to move some channels about on the EPG so base on Sky EPG the following may happen on Virgin from September 1st:

109. Sky Showcase HD
110. Sky Showcase
111. Sky Witness HD
112. Sky Witness
121. Sky Max HD
122. Sky Max
123. Sky Arts
135. Sky Comedy HD
136. Sky Comedy
137. Sky Crime HD
138. Sky Crime
139. SYFY HD
140. SYFY
156. Sky Arts HD
157. E! HD (?)
158. E! (?)
160. Sky Replay
164. Challenge
165. Pick
180. Sky Showcase +1 (?)
206. Sky Witness +1
207. Sky Crime +1
229. SYFY +1

270. Sky History HD
271. Sky History +1
272. Sky History 2 HD
277. Sky Documentaries HD
278. Sky Documentaries
279. Sky Nature HD
280. Sky Nature

419. Movies 24
420. Movies 24 +

All channels in red may change - still no been confirmed by Virgin Media or Sky.

Originally Posted by BenMcr

It's not listed in the press release

Originally Posted by ScottishSteve

I have seen numerous sources state that Sky Replay is being dropped

July 30th update: Media Boy Sources have just confirmed that Sky will close Sky Replay but no closing date has been given so my sources are thinking it'll be September 1st.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by epsilon

Hmmm! Interesting.

The Premier League rights sold to Sky, BT and Amazon just rolled over for three years so maybe the VM-BT deal did as well, if they agreed to pay the same for the same amount of content.

[Mythica]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

July 30th update: Media Boy Sources have just confirmed that Sky will close Sky Replay but no closing date has been given so my sources are thinking it'll be September 1st.

I think you need new sources, yesterday it was staying open.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Mythica

I think you need new sources, yesterday it was staying open.

My Sources just seen paperwork on Sky Replay closing today.

As of January 2021 I have ban sources from using any Do Not post orders on me. So I am just passing on any info I get from my Sources.

[Mythica]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

My Sources just seen paperwork on Sky Replay closing today.

As of January 2021 I have ban sources from using any Do Not post orders on me. So I am just passing on any info I get from my Sources.

Seems a pretty pointless exercise when the info changes in 24 hours.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

The Premier League rights sold to Sky, BT and Amazon just rolled over for three years so maybe the VM-BT deal did as well, if they agreed to pay the same for the same amount of content.

Possibly but that doesn't explain the slate. I guess it will stay a mystery until the slate is visible.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by epsilon

Possibly but that doesn't explain the slate. I guess it will stay a mystery until the slate is visible.

At time of posting all I am getting from my Sources is "BT and Virgin Media haven't got long to agreed an new deal."

We got no info on when BT Sport may close on Virgin Media UK as of July 30th at 8pm.

[vincerooney]

So here are the headlines i can gather...

1) Sky has counteracted losing warner content in the future by bringing peacock over.
Questions:
A lot of the main things on peacock are on netflix etc. How is this going to work exactly?
I assume virgin media won't be able to offer it and Sky will do a sort of Sky Atlantic thing and make it inclusive?

BT Sport is potentially leaving Virgin Media before the start of the season.
I assume BT Sport will ask for more money since they've been losing money on it and are looking to sell anyway? Getting more money from virgin media will make them more attractive?

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by vincerooney

So here are the headlines i can gather...

1) Sky has counteracted losing warner content in the future by bringing peacock over.
Questions:
A lot of the main things on peacock are on netflix etc. How is this going to work exactly?
I assume virgin media won't be able to offer it and Sky will do a sort of Sky Atlantic thing and make it inclusive?

BT Sport is potentially leaving Virgin Media before the start of the season.
I assume BT Sport will ask for more money since they've been losing money on it and are looking to sell anyway? Getting more money from virgin media will make them more attractive?

If they cut off VM, they will lose even more money, won't they? As I understand it, most VM viewers would not pay extra for this service if the current deal expired. As things stand, the VM money is guaranteed income, whether customers want it or not.

As far as Peacock is concerned, any contracts they have with Netflix and others will come to an end at some point, and then they just won't renew them.

---------- Post added at 11:26 ---------- Previous post was at 11:23 ----------

Originally Posted by ozsat

Peacock is a free ad-funded service - like Pluto TV. You pay to reduce the amount of ads on Peacock

The version that will appear on Q certainly is. There are two other tiers, though, the top one of which is advertisement free.

---------- Post added at 11:28 ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 ----------

Originally Posted by Media Boy

My Sources just seen paperwork on Sky Replay closing today.

As of January 2021 I have ban sources from using any Do Not post orders on me. So I am just passing on any info I get from my Sources.

Your sources appear to be a little behind the curve, MB. Your CF sources appear to be more reliable.

[jfman]

I’d be extremely surprised if BT would want to take such a strategic decision while trying to court investors. It’d be easier to roll over the current terms for 12 months and have the new party involved in the decision making process.

As OB says, it’s essentially guaranteed income from a customer base unlikely to subscribe to a standalone service.

That is if the contract is expiring at all.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by jfman

I’d be extremely surprised if BT would want to take such a strategic decision while trying to court investors. It’d be easier to roll over the current terms for 12 months and have the new party involved in the decision making process.

As OB says, it’s essentially guaranteed income from a customer base unlikely to subscribe to a standalone service.

That is if the contract is expiring at all.

It could be that BT want to extend the contract for a relatively short time for the reasons you say (or because they intend to go down the streaming route), but VM want a longer term contract??

I wouldn't pay for it as a standalone product and I agree that most other people wouldn't either.

Since LG bought the company, Virgin have made it clear to channel operators that if things don't go their way, that they are prepared to withdraw channels.

Also, if VM have got wind of a definitive plan to go streaming, they will eventually have to face any backlash from customers anyway, so why not sooner rather than later?

[jfman]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

It could be that BT want to extend the contract for a relatively short time for the reasons you say (or because they intend to go down the streaming route), but VM want a longer term contract??

I wouldn't pay for it as a standalone product and I agree that most other people wouldn't either.

Since LG bought the company, Virgin have made it clear to channel operators that if things don't go their way, that they are prepared to withdraw channels.

Also, if VM have got wind of a definitive plan to go streaming, they will eventually have to face any backlash from customers anyway, so why not sooner rather than later?

BT won’t have definitive plans for anything re BT Sport - you can’t put half of your business up for sale and commit your as yet unidentifiable business partner to your business model. It only decreases the pool of potential investors.

The most obvious reason to accept a short term contract (over none) is that taking a hit later rather than now is an improved financial outcome. Regardless of how many people genuinely have BT Sport as a factor for subscribing tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, will be onto retentions.