Sky channels gone from Virgin

[Dan_]

Anyone with Virgin noticed this? When I put sky one on it just has little britain on with a message scrolling across the bottom of the screen saying Sky have taken their ball and gone home.Also sky news and sky sports news are renamed sky sports snooze and sky snooze but with just a blank picture.

[GiRTh]

Are you going to sue? I think you've got a very good case.

[Dan_]

It seems like Virgin have failed to agree a deal with sky to continue having the sky channels as part of their package :rolleyes:

[Diablo]

Sky snooze and sky sports snooze?? Virgin say Sky have taken their ball and they resort to childish tactics like that!!

I am raging about this cos I watch 24 on Sky 1 and I have never missed an episode!!

and Virgin wont drop the prices to make up for a loss of channels either.

I'm switching to sky!

Feckin Virgin rats!!

[BigSister]

*thinks im glad im on sky and freeview*
I feel sorry for the people who have lost it though

[GiRTh]

Surely you can all sue. You've paid for the service and, because you signed something, Virgin agreed to provide the service. If they're not providing the service then surely you can sue. Who agrees?

[MarkWaldorf]

I have sky and freeview so it shouldn't have happened. I think I read an article about it on Digital Spy, maybe you could read it and see how to fix it or something?

[andybigbro]

i am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
anoyed i have telewest wich is now the stupid virgin and i cant watch Lost or Nip/tuck :sad:

it sucks

i t5hink they will lose more veiwers than gain any

[Dan_]

The thing is either way both lose out as people from Virgin are moving over to sky but those that stay with virgin wont be able to watch these shows which means lower viewing figures and sky may lose those shows to other channels in the long run because of low viewing figures and less companies wishing to advertise during that show because of smaller audience.

[SiMoN!]

its so annoying
i have no idea what its about

hope it gets sorted

[Chrizzle]

I heard about this on the radio today. I think its being sorted.

[Siouxsie]

its crap

[xGemmax]

I dont really care, i will just download my programmes from now on. And i won't have to watch the adverts. :hello:

[Ruth*Star]

I heard about this today,i feel sorry for the people who have lost the channels.

[MarkWaldorf]

They've set up a channel on 119 for the people who lost all their channels. You can watch shows when you want by pressing the red button. LOST episodes will be available.

[Bells]

That's really strange though, why do it at a random time?

[MarkWaldorf]

Originally posted by ice_maiden02
That's really strange though, why do it at a random time?

Do what?

[Bells]

Virgin not having Sky channels and popular shows on any longer, and then not dropping prices?

At least, that's what I've understood to have happened.

[MarkWaldorf]

Because Sky was charging Virgin too much to show the channels/shows. Then that would mean paying viewers even more, and they didn't want to do that.

[Bells]

Paying viewers? :puzzled:

[MarkWaldorf]

Originally posted by ice_maiden02
Paying viewers? :puzzled:

I mean charging, sorry LOL :hugesmile:

[andybigbro]

Originally posted by xGemmax
I dont really care, i will just download my programmes from now on. And i won't have to watch the adverts. :hello:

Gemma where can you dfownloa them lol cause i will miss all of the losts :sad:

[easypeasy]

sky were being greedy and asking twice the amount they had charged ntl/telewest for the right to air their channels. its skys own fault because they outbid channel 4 for "lost" and stole it from terrestrial tv. Mr Branson wasnt willing to be held to ransom so he told them where to stick their channels. Good Chap!
The only show Ill miss is stargate but thats easy to download.....
http://www.eztvefnet.org/index.html
Im sticking with Virgin Media because its broadband is ace.

[Red Moon]

It would seem that James Murdoch is now claiming Virgin is "playing the victim".

My point of view is they are the victim for the bully boy tactics of BSkyB who feel they can do what they like. If they can't bully a TV company then they buy the flagship programmes from that company. Look at Channel 4 which lost Test Match Cricket, Lost and various other programmes in the past to BSkyB. And who are the losers; the viewers who have to pay more to watch the programmes they once watched for free.

Look what they have done to football. They have taken the game away from the masses and given it to those that can afford to watch it. They might have increased the number of games you can watch on the TV if you want to pay but they are emptying the terraces and are partly responsible for the silly wages being paid in the game.

James Murdoch feels British TV is over regulated all because it stops him and his company taking over the media in the UK. Poor James Murdoch.... the world so hard.

[easypeasy]

very true Red Moon, did you know Bskyb also bought 20% of ITV to stop Mr Branson from buying into it? Im sure the Murdoch's are the PR wing of the illuminatae.........

[Red Moon]

Originally posted by easypeasy
very true Red Moon, did you know Bskyb also bought 20% of ITV to stop Mr Branson from buying into it? Im sure the Murdoch's are the PR wing of the illuminatae.........

And thankfully the Government stepped in and started a public interest probe into the matter. Something else that poor James Murdoch was moaning about in an interview with the Daily Telegraph this morning.

[James]

My major problem with Sky is their cherry-picking of popular US shows on other channels and, with all their subscribers, they should be doing more to support British drama and programming. Most of their homegrown shows are useless.

It's only really the BBC, ITV (and that is much less these days, unless you like your soaps) and Channel 4 that are making original shows. And most of the satellite channels just recycle old programmmes.

When you look at US pay networks like HBO and Showtime they invest big-time in original programming.

[James]

Last Updated: Monday, 5 March 2007, 20:50 GMT

Virgin TV in BSkyB legal threat
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42644000/jpg/_42644531_virgintv_pa203b.jpg
BSkyB basic channels were removed from Virgin Media last week

Virgin Media has threatened to take legal action against BSkyB if a heated programming row between the two sides is not resolved in 30 days.

The cable TV firm said it would seek damages if a deal could not be hammered out between the UK broadcasters.

BSkyB basic channels, including Sky One and Sky News, were cut from Virgin last week following a row over the fees BSkyB wanted to charge for the service.

BSkyB said it would defend itself vigorously if the matter went to court.

'Threats and posturing'

Virgin Media chief executive Steve Burch said his firm was "not interested in prolonging this dispute any longer than necessary".

However, he added: "We will not allow Virgin Media or our customers to be the victim of Sky's market power. In the interest of the consumer, we want these issues resolved quickly."

Virgin said legal remedies sought would include supply of BSkyB's basic channels at a "reasonable commercial rate", as well as fair payment for the satellite broadcaster's rights to show Virgin Media TV channels, including Living and Bravo.

A spokesman for BSkyB said the firm would "defend itself vigorously should Virgin Media decide to extend its PR campaign to the courts".

He added: "We are as disappointed as Virgin Media's customers that the channels they enjoy are no longer available to them.

"We urge Virgin Media to set aside its threats and posturing and engage genuinely in a sensible negotiation to restore Sky's basic channels to its customers."

The National Consumer Council last week accused Virgin Media and BSkyB of "behaving like children", and said it was considering asking for a review of the digital television market in the wake of the row.

Virgin Media was formed from the merger of cable TV firm NTL and Virgin Mobile. The firm's biggest shareholder is entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.

BSkyB is run by media mogul Rupert Murdoch's son James.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6421419.stm