General : Changes to Virgin TV (2021)

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Post on the Community forum about CNN

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5...4804704#M18418

thanks for the confirmation Ben

[OLD BOY]

Shame. I thought CNN was one of the better US news channels on Virgin. I’m not inclined to pay for the streamer in order to watch it, though.

It would be nice if they replaced it - say with ABC News or CBS News, but I don’t think there are any such plans.

[ScottishSteve]

The news services are so spread out, they could be doing with a clear up.
Remember when UKTV was dropped they ‘apparently’ started accepting bids for the EPG slots.

Same ‘might’ happen with GB News possibly taking it for higher prominence on the guide.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by ScottishSteve

The news services are so spread out, they could be doing with a clear up.
Remember when UKTV was dropped they ‘apparently’ started accepting bids for the EPG slots.

Same ‘might’ happen with GB News possibly taking it for higher prominence on the guide.

The news section has been spread out since the launch of Virgin Media and before if you look at its predecessors. With any luck, the Warner/Discovery merger could result in a similar move to put GB News "behind a paywall". That's assuming GB News lasts that long.

---------- Post added at 15:06 ---------- Previous post was at 15:03 ----------

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Shame. I thought CNN was one of the better US news channels on Virgin. I’m not inclined to pay for the streamer in order to watch it, though.

It would be nice if they replaced it - say with ABC News or CBS News, but I don’t think there are any such plans.

Perhaps NBC/Sky could revive their plans for an international version of Sky News to fill the gap.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Post on the Community forum about CNN

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5...4804704#M18418

It will continue as normal for anyone with Sky:

https://twitter.com/cnnipr/status/1430531834237095937

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

It will continue as normal for anyone with Sky:

https://twitter.com/cnnipr/status/1430531834237095937

I expect to see it disappear off FreeSat if it's joining the sub club as it'll be encrypted.

It's going to bite them in the behind, I don't get the impression people want to pay for TV news, news channels are all about maximising availability. I can't see all the likes of those hotels and airports wanting to pay, they'll just move to another channel, or not replace them at all.

I can see them having to reverse this move in a year or 2.

There are certainly some very passionate viewers on other forums and social media, one said they had it on in the background virtually all day and recorded shows on top of that. Several others have said they only subscribed to VM for CNN so will be moving.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

It will continue as normal for anyone with Sky:

https://twitter.com/cnnipr/status/1430531834237095937

That's interesting, so this seems to be just another case of Virgin failing to negotiate a contract renewal. Slightly at odds with the statement on the community forum and Virgin's frequently regurgitated tweets.

---------- Post added at 15:59 ---------- Previous post was at 15:55 ----------

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

I expect to see it disappear off FreeSat if it's joining the sub club as it'll be encrypted.

It's going to bite them in the behind, I don't get the impression people want to pay for TV news, news channels are all about maximising availability. I can't see all the likes of those hotels and airports wanting to pay, they'll just move to another channel, or not replace them at all.

I can see them having to reverse this move in a year or 2.

There are certainly some very passionate viewers on other forums and social media, one said they had it on in the background virtually all day and recorded shows on top of that. Several others have said they only subscribed to VM for CNN so will be moving.

Virgin probably lost considerably more customers from it not carrying Sky Atlantic than they will through removing CNN. Will they really be concerned by this?

[ScottishSteve]

Originally Posted by epsilon

Virgin probably lost considerably more customers from it not carrying Sky Atlantic than they will through removing CNN. Will they really be concerned by this?

Totally agree, every time a channel is announced as leaving the forums and Twitter etc is full of folk saying it’s all they watch.

It will continue online and if folk are so passionate about wanting to watch it £20 a year is a no brainer.

[Inactive Digital]

Originally Posted by epsilon

That's interesting, so this seems to be just another case of Virgin failing to negotiate a contract renewal. Slightly at odds with the statement on the community forum and Virgin's frequently regurgitated tweets.

It could also be the case that Warner intends to remove CNN from Sky at the earliest opportunity too, but that carriage agreement isn't yet due for renewal.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by Inactive Digital

It could also be the case that Warner intends to remove CNN from Sky at the earliest opportunity too, but that carriage agreement isn't yet due for renewal.

At the moment it is FTA on Sky and available on Freesat. Surely any contracts there will only be for inclusion in the EPG.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by epsilon

Virgin probably lost considerably more customers from it not carrying Sky Atlantic than they will through removing CNN. Will they really be concerned by this?

Agree.

[1andrew1]

It's a bit unfortunate if the 360 app is being removed too. If this remained then the keen CNN viewers could at least use this instead, even if they had to pay for it.

[cheekyangus]

Given CNN is currently Free-To-Air, don't the FTA channels (except the PSBs I'd imagine) pay VirginMedia for carriage rather than the other way around?

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

Given CNN is currently Free-To-Air, don't the FTA channels (except the PSBs I'd imagine) pay VirginMedia for carriage rather than the other way around?

In theory, in which case an assumption could be that Virgin is asking more for cable carriage than CNN's satellite uplink provider. In reality, it depends on the contract - and we don't get to see the details of those.

---------- Post added at 18:12 ---------- Previous post was at 16:39 ----------

https://twitter.com/cnnipr/status/1430532115511250949

So basically, CNN are saying to continue watching on linear TV, get Sky

---------- Post added at 18:41 ---------- Previous post was at 18:12 ----------

Originally Posted by Media Boy

@epsilon

TV Channel lists.com is reporting that Sky are testing Sky Showcase, Sky Showcase +1, Sky Showcase HD, Sky Max and Sky Max HD on Sky right now tests started in Mid July.

https://www.tvchannellists.com/w/Add...e_new_channels

I've been keeping an eye on these. It's quite funny that the labels they originally assigned as "Paralympics" are now listed as for unknown channels. The services marked Sky Max or Sky Showcase plus a few others (5275-5281) are now marked up as various versions of Sky One according to the "Sky & Satellite Monthly News Thread, July 2021" over on Digital Spy. It appears that Sky are finally preparing for the Sky Max / Sky Showcase services on Astra 28.2. https://forums.digitalspy.com/discus...mment_99479134

No information yet about any preparations on Virgin.

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Update:

Channel 109 - Sky One HD - is showing Sky Showcase HD listings from September 1st but is showing Sky Max HD listings on September 4th.

Channel 110 - Sky One - is showing Sky Showcase listings from September 1st.

I also see on DRB that Sky Max and Sky Max HD is even still to start testing on Sky.

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

I expect to see it disappear off FreeSat if it's joining the sub club as it'll be encrypted.

It's going to bite them in the behind, I don't get the impression people want to pay for TV news, news channels are all about maximising availability. I can't see all the likes of those hotels and airports wanting to pay, they'll just move to another channel, or not replace them at all.

I can see them having to reverse this move in a year or 2.

There are certainly some very passionate viewers on other forums and social media, one said they had it on in the background virtually all day and recorded shows on top of that. Several others have said they only subscribed to VM for CNN so will be moving.

Seems yet an other reason to look again at sky ,hi ho . Can't wait for the next price rise perhaps it will be the straw that breaks the camel's back . However it would mean changing BB as well. Unless keep it on lowest package . And put sky in for all TV watching . Can't see virgin being a viable TV source in more than two to three years.