March 07, 2009

In the news

Virgin Media TV (Living, Trouble, Bravo and Challenge) may be a profitable business in its own right but it's up for sale. Here's the report from The Times. Also up for grabs is VM's stake in UKTV. Letting go of the content side of Virgin's business has been a strategic intention for many years and will bring some much needed cash into the business to offset some of the crippling debt still on the books...and may be some investment in new services?
Also, programmes from UKTV channels Gold and Eden are to available online via SkyPlayer. Virgin Media co-own UKTV yet they're on demand via Sky? I know it's old BBC content and some is already in Virgin's On Demand service, but it still struck me as an unusual deal.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

why give Sky anything without trading off for something else ... how about they give Virgin Sky One HD or some Sky catchup

Anonymous said...

"Also, programmes from UKTV channels Gold and Eden are to available online via SkyPlayer. Virgin Media co-own UKTV yet they're on demand via Sky?"

They're not 'on demand.' Sky has simply added 2 UKTV linear channels to it's online service meaning you can now stream the live channels on your PC.

Nialli said...

According to Digital Spy: "Content from UKTV's bouquet of channels will be added to Sky's online on demand offering, Sky Player, tomorrow.
The subscription-based player, which is available in slightly different forms to Sky customers and people who do not take the satellite TV service, will offer programmes from UKTV's recently-rebranded Gold and Eden channels." I don't have the service so I can't say if that's what happened. Happy to be corrected if the story is inaccurate.