Virgin Media to lose 10 channels

Visionman

“UKTV’s channels account for over a quarter of pay entertainment channel viewing within Virgin Media’s basic subscription pack. If our channels are no longer available through Virgin, we will be hugely disappointed for the millions of customers who will lose out.”

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jul/19/virgin-media-customers-to-lose-uktvs-10-channels-in-rights-row

Its a Virgin/SKY One moment all over again....  But unlike SKY One, UKTVs channels represent a substantial proportion of Virgins viewing.  

Roy

Visionman said:

“UKTV’s channels account for over a quarter of pay entertainment channel viewing within Virgin Media’s basic subscription pack. If our channels are no longer available through Virgin, we will be hugely disappointed for the millions of customers who will lose out.”

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jul/19/virgin-media-customers-to-lose-uktvs-10-channels-in-rights-row

It’s a Virgin/SKY One moment all over again....  But unlike SKY One, UKTV’s channels represent a substantial proportion of Virgin’s viewing.  

So why can’t they just use the UKTV player, like YouView users can?

redchiz

No comprende. 

Visionman

Sorry Roy?

Roy

Visionman said:

Sorry Roy?

Someone is missing something here; perhaps it’s me, but I hope not.

The piece you quoted suggested that Virgin’s sticking point with UKTV was that it’s owners, including the BBC, held back the rights for On-Demand watching so that they could, for instance, sell them to Netflix and other streaming services, whereas Virgin felt that the offering was not complete unless they could offer their subscribers UKTV catchup as well as linear.

Without which, they made a derisory offer to UKTV for the continued linear rights, so UKTV rejected that and pulled out altogether.

But, unless the BBC are cherry-picking UKTV’s schedules, all the catchup is available, free, on the UKTV app anyway. So why not, like YouView, just carry that? And with it all free, why would Netflix UK, at least, pay for it?

And I doubt Virgin would or could want to inhibit sales to Netflix US.

But if I am missing something here, please tell me what it is.

redchiz

The Virgin Media community is in meltdown! It would be unseemly to post a link, easily found though.

VM's argument that this is all about the BBC and the way they sell OD rights is not washing at all. Most users are just miffed that they cannot access/record the linear channels. And apparently the first they heard of it was the same as everyone else, in the news a couple of days ago!!

redchiz

And a wider observation. Way back when we were all hoping that YouView would be the one box solution, how naive where we? In fact VM were probably the closest single provider to be able to claim that and they now are voluntarily dismantling the proposition. It's going to get messier across the industry, no question. Next stop the Comcast/Disney/FOX/Sky shenanigans.

redchiz

And on the rumour front, word is that the money argument was about VM trying to save £150k, which is probably equivalent to an hours worth of suits arguing about it. 

Daniel

Didn't UKTV post on twitter that they can't give there channels away or something to that effect so it would seem to indicate virgin want the channels for free or am I reading to much into this?

Visionman

redchiz said:

The Virgin Media community is in meltdown! 

That meltdown is spreading across the net now and Virgin are getting crucified.
I know VM are unlike like YouView as they operate a closed network, but theres a limit to what any provider will accept to be on their platform. Which unlike the Sky One and Discovery spat is Virgins problem, as the majority of these channels are available for free on other platforms, including this one. Plus these channels made up 25% of VMs overall TV viewing. Thats a big hit to take.

Roy

I’m fascinated by the traction this issue has gained in all the mainstream meeja, while YouView’s foisting of the incomplete NextGen offering on a decidedly unwaiting world garnered not a peep.

(i was going to say ‘premature’ rather than ‘incomplete’, but the passage of time from launch to today, when it is still incomplete, makes ‘premature’ somewhat inappropriate)

redchiz

Shows you what real people think, as opposed to us.