General : Changes to Virgin TV (2021)

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by epsilon

Famous last words? I've been told that Greatest Hits Radio may be coming soon to a Tivo near you.

Media Boy Sources say that Greatest Hits Radio will launch soon in the 940s area of the Virgin EPG.

Base on the channel number I saw unless the launch all the missing Bauer Radio Channels.

=== Own by Bauer Radio Ltd ====
Absolute 90s*
Kerrang! Radio^
Hits Radio^
KissFresh^
Kisstory^
Scala Radio*
Jazz FM*

*Broadcasts on Sky,
^Broadcasts on Freeview.

If only GHR is set to launch I would have pick Channels 928 or 953.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Media Boy Sources say that Greatest Hits Radio will launch soon in the 940s area of the Virgin EPG.

Base on the channel number I saw unless the launch all the missing Bauer Radio Channels.



If only GHR is set to launch I would have pick Channels 928 or 953.

The haphazard way the radio section is arranged doesn't really give any clues. GHR is probably being added to fall into line with the other Bauer stations currently available on mainstream FM in London (Magic & Kiss), where GHR replaced Absolute. That doesn't mean Absolute will be coming off Virgin, it is probably secure as a national licence.

Of the other stations you mention. Scala and Jazz are required content for Bauer on the SDL DAB multiplex, which has to cater for specific genres. Most of the other stations are filler content which Bauer uses to fill Bauer owned local DAB multiplexes to keep out competitors. Bauer doesn't even own the Kerrang! brand anymore, so it is likely that the few remaining Kerrang! Radio branded stations will be renamed or replaced with another Bauer brand. At a guess, Bauer buys a fixed bandwidth capacity on Freeview and Sky and fills a proportion of it with random stations until they start promoting a rapidly expanding brand such as GHR. It probably makes more sense to have contracts for specific stations on Virgin rather than buying a block of bandwidth just to fill it with random jukebox stations.

If Bauer can stop listeners haemorrhaging from Hits Radio, that could be a candidate for a future addition. Now might not be a good time.

[Media Boy UK]

BBC Parliament is to start again on August 31st with Scottish Parliament LIVE from 2pm.

---------- Post added at 17:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:12 ----------

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Thanks. If this comes to fruition, I don't suppose that there's anything to stop VM continuing to carry them as well as adding Sky Kids, unless it's Warner Media that's closing them in linear channel form.

I've since been given the following information:

- Sky Kids already exists on Sky via Boxsets on VOD only. It's said that they didn't launch it as a linear channel because of their joint venture agreement with Viacom/Nickelodeon UK.

Found the following on wikipedia:

Current venture TV Channels operations of Sky Group: As of August 22nd 2021.

-Own 50% of A&E Networks UK - other 50% is own by A&E Networks who operates Blaze, Sky History, Sky History2 and CI channels (And broadcasts from Sky's HQ).

-Own 50% of Sky Sports Racing - other 50% is own by Arena Racing Company (And broadcasts from Sky Sports HQ).

-Own 50% of Ginx TV Ltd - other 50% is own by ITV plc.

-Own 40% of Nickelodeon UK Ltd - other 60% is own by ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia and operates Nickelodeon and other "Nick" branded channels.

-Own 25% of Comedy Central (UK and Ireland) - other 75% is own by Paramount British Pictures, part of ViacomCBS/National Amusements.

Sky UK PLC part own more full info at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_Group#Ventures

[ozsat]

BBC Parliament was back last Wednesday in its own right with the recall of Parliament.

Originally Posted by Media Boy

BBC Parliament is to start again on August 31st with Scottish Parliament LIVE from 2pm.

---------- Post added at 17:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:12 ----------



Found the following on wikipedia:

Current venture TV Channels operations of Sky Group: As of August 22nd 2021.

-Own 50% of A&E Networks UK - other 50% is own by A&E Networks who operates Blaze, Sky History, Sky History2 and CI channels (And broadcasts from Sky's HQ).

-Own 50% of Sky Sports Racing - other 50% is own by Arena Racing Company (And broadcasts from Sky Sports HQ).

-Own 50% of Ginx TV Ltd - other 50% is own by ITV plc.

-Own 40% of Nickelodeon UK Ltd - other 60% is own by ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia and operates Nickelodeon and other "Nick" branded channels.

-Own 25% of Comedy Central (UK and Ireland) - other 75% is own by Paramount British Pictures, part of ViacomCBS/National Amusements.

Sky UK PLC part own more full info at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_Group#Ventures

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by ozsat

Axctually BBC Parliament was back on air last week in its own right with the recall of Parliament.

From August 31st at 2pm BBC Parliament will not go back to BBC News Channel when Parliament closes.

[ozsat]

I wonder how many people actually watch such things overnight.

Originally Posted by Media Boy

From August 31st at 2pm BBC Parliament will not go back to BBC News Channel when Parliament closes.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by ozsat

I wonder how many people actually watch such things overnight.

I think it viewing numbers will be going to up with Greens going into bed with SNP here in Scotland and what going to happen next with that big news story in the past week.

[vincerooney]

so bbc parliament will be broadcasting through the night??

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by vincerooney

so bbc parliament will be broadcasting through the night??

Yes

---------- Post added at 21:55 ---------- Previous post was at 21:48 ----------

Originally Posted by epsilon

The haphazard way the radio section is arranged doesn't really give any clues. GHR is probably being added to fall into line with the other Bauer stations currently available on mainstream FM in London (Magic & Kiss), where GHR replaced Absolute. That doesn't mean Absolute will be coming off Virgin, it is probably secure as a national licence.

Of the other stations you mention. Scala and Jazz are required content for Bauer on the SDL DAB multiplex, which has to cater for specific genres. Most of the other stations are filler content which Bauer uses to fill Bauer owned local DAB multiplexes to keep out competitors. Bauer doesn't even own the Kerrang! brand anymore, so it is likely that the few remaining Kerrang! Radio branded stations will be renamed or replaced with another Bauer brand. At a guess, Bauer buys a fixed bandwidth capacity on Freeview and Sky and fills a proportion of it with random stations until they start promoting a rapidly expanding brand such as GHR. It probably makes more sense to have contracts for specific stations on Virgin rather than buying a block of bandwidth just to fill it with random jukebox stations.

If Bauer can stop listeners haemorrhaging from Hits Radio, that could be a candidate for a future addition. Now might not be a good time.

If Virgin move SYFY +1 on CO 68 to an other stream,

Virgin would have room to launch GHR and three other radio channels on CO 68 to be like CO 73.

CO 68 has UHD and National Radio Channels
CO 73 has UHD and BBC Radio Channels

https://www.digitalbitrate.com/dtv.p...ste=2&live=209

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Yes

---------- Post added at 21:55 ---------- Previous post was at 21:48 ----------



If Virgin move SYFY +1 on CO 68 to an other stream,

Virgin would have room to launch GHR and three other radio channels on CO 68 to be like CO 73.

CO 68 has UHD and National Radio Channels
CO 73 has UHD and BBC Radio Channels

https://ww.digitalbitrate.com/dtv.php?lang=en&liste=2&live=209

Erm... with 18.2Mb/s of null packets, space isn't a problem. Various radio stations have different bitrates but, whichever bitrate is used, there is room for a lot more. The question is, does Virgin want to add a lot of extra radio stations now they are using apps for radio.

[ozsat]

With repeats of the daytime output.

Originally Posted by vincerooney

so bbc parliament will be broadcasting through the night??

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by epsilon

Erm... with 18.2Mb/s of null packets, space isn't a problem. Various radio stations have different bitrates but, whichever bitrate is used, there is room for a lot more. The question is, does Virgin want to add a lot of extra radio stations now they are using apps for radio.

I would like Virgin to launch

Absolute 90s*
Greatest Hits Radio (Channel set to launch soon on Virgin Media)**
Hits Radio**

Not an fan of the following but someone else would be:

Scala Radio*
Jazz FM*

All the rest can move to the app for all I care.

*Channels are on Sky
**Channel is on Freeview

---------- Post added at 10:46 ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 ----------

Also SYFY +1 is the only SD Channel on stream CO 68 so if Virgin Media move it to say CO 02 to use onw of O2 free slots (As of August 23rd CO02 has got 4 slots free Slots numbers they are: 13, 14, 16 and 20).

Virgin would have more bitrates to play with.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

I would like Virgin to launch

Absolute 90s*
Greatest Hits Radio (Channel set to launch soon on Virgin Media)**
Hits Radio**

Not an fan of the following but someone else would be:

Scala Radio*
Jazz FM*

All the rest can move to the app for all I care.

*Channels are on Sky
**Channel is on Freeview

The three you prefer carry music that is widely available on many, many, other stations. The other two would be more worthwhile as they have no, or fewer, rival stations. Given the effort and expenditure put into Scala, I'm amazed that that isn't the imminent arrival.

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Also SYFY +1 is the only SD Channel on stream CO 68 so if Virgin Media move it to say CO 02 to use onw of O2 free slots (As of August 23rd CO02 has got 4 slots free Slots numbers they are: 13, 14, 16 and 20).

Virgin would have more bitrates to play with.

As epsilon said to you above, there's plenty of empty space for trillions* of radio stations on the multiplex SyFy+1 resides on already. One channel moving elsewhere isn't going to make a jot of difference.

*Obviously not trillions literally.

[Derekb108]

Originally Posted by ozsat

I wonder how many people actually watch such things overnight.

sometimes there's good debates that are repeated.

[Media Boy UK]

@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