June 18, 2011

What do you want next from Virgin Media?

My last post about Sky Atlantic still being a satellite exclusive provoked a fair amount of comment so I'm running a quick poll to see what the VMHD massive want next from Virgin Media. Given that Mr Berkett said a few years back that the company was no longer looking to compete with Sky in terms of owning or producing TV content any more, I've put a few options as to what some of VM's investment options are for the remainder of the year. My vote would be for Sky Atlantic HD, but let me know what you think.
(And I didn't include an "All of these" option as that wouldn't tell us anything!)

32 comments:

Payton said...

I would like all the HD channels, but I do understand that sky may be playing hard ball over Sky Atlantic. I do not see why we do not have all the other non sky related HD channels, I feel I pay more than enough for my XL package.

Anonymous said...

Should have put a option to wake up vm,If they dont they are going to lose customers again and its gonna be harder to get them back next time.

Tom Chiverton said...

Red Button, durh !

Idrathepoza said...

Sky have the dominant position in the pay TV market and use that position to their advantage. There are two ways that this may be addressed. 1. When the EU insist that football coverage is no longer priced according to internal national geographical boundaries, or 2. When a player as big as SKY (maybe ESPN) are prepared to take them on over football. Sadly folks, the content you get on Pay TV is governed by one thing and one thing only - who holds the TV rights to live football in the UK. As long as SKY hold the rights they will maintain their stranglehold on most forms of paid content.

Square eyes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Square eyes said...

@HOWARDMICKS

The TV customers that VM lose on a monthly basis don't go to Sky all the time, the amount of requests are monitored on a monthly basis and only a small percentage leave to go to Sky. Most leave due to personal changes in their lifestyle. Loss of job, change in income, students that can't afford the service, moving property to non serviceable area or in with someone who already got the service. Going to Sky for the HD, Sky Atlantic or 3D is not always the reason.

Each month on average just over 16% of the requests taken to leave VM actually leave, this percentage is less than Sky. Out of that 16% around 35% of them are leaving to go to Sky. then 12 months later around 70% of those who went to Sky return VM.

So saying losing them & not getting them back is a bit far fetched.

Don't get me wrong VM media do need to concentrate on delivering a far better content, but as most are aware Sky have been at this for just over 25 years since 1986, cable TV has been around for almost the same length of time but they were not one company they were various mini companies with no connection to each other. In 1996 thats when it all changed with The likes of Telewest & NTL, again though 2 different companies, which did not merge till around 4 1/2 years ago. So as you can see Sky do have an advantage over VM.

Would you all like to see VM just cough up cash whenever Sky just demand it, because as you will agree - if that was to happen, who would be better off - you or Sky. As a customer the service would cost more, so then you would leave go to Sky and give the monster an even bigger hold on the PTV industry. If you cut off the head of the snake it will die, the problem in the country nobody has got a big enough set of Ba*** to say enough is enough, so until then Sky can do whatever they please, charge whatever they want & screw over whoever they want.

Until this time VM will strive to get new content, HD & 3D, but it will not happen overnight.

kenneth said...

just say i got tivo it brill the best thing virgin done so far and and i like too see mome hd channels like Sky Atlantic but we know what sky like . but i like to say i like to have espn 2hd and enpn sport news hd more than Sky Atlantic if we do get Sky Atlantic will be a plus

Harkaway said...

I love the Tivo box, but perhaps more for the 1 TB drive than for some of the functionality, which still needs a bit of work.

In terms of content, Sky Atlantic would be great, but I can wait. They'll be repeating the stuff I missed for a while.

I feel the VOD has been a bit neglected lately, with less and less HD content around since Tivo's launch.

My analysis is that multitasking isn't VM's strength. Right now, on the TV side, they are focussed on Tivo: launching the different iterations, fixing the bugs, and figuring out how to make more money from it. Oddly, our attitude is that once we have one desire requited, we're on to the next.

Let's hope they now begin to turn to the content side again and find the right person to negotiate the contracts, especially with Sky, who agree to provide features (red buttons, etc), but then draw out the process as long as possible.

Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the Tivo and all the stuff I've already managed to save on it!

Anonymous said...

Why can't Virgin Media have all the free to view channels available on Sky & FreeSat, they can't cost that much can they? aren't they free, and it would make it worth loosing all the channels at the begin of the year. Also more HD channels would be cool. I would love Sky Atlantic as well as it seems to have some great series on it.

theironchimp said...

I can't fault the internet/telphone service but it would be nice to see more content (SD or HD) on VM.

wickywoowoo said...

If Virgin Media are not competing with Sky in terms of TV - what exactly is the point of their TV service?

Really, if they aren't looking to become no. 1 - why bother?

If they are happy being no. 2, they should be half the price, not at times more expensive than Sky.

topoff said...

ESPN America HD would be nice.

topoff said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Darren Taylor said...

I would like greater HD content, in particular Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports News HD, History HD, Bio and Crime HD.

Bruce said...

If not more HD channels, then why not higher bitrate on the existing SD ones. (BBC3,BBC4,CBeebies)

NickElliott said...

Still waiting for the red button on Sky Sports, what's going on there, it was promised months ago.....

I'm not fussed about Sky Atlantic etc. as there's no way in the world any of us have the time to watch all this stuff.

But more content in HD, that would be good.

gsituffers said...

as vm employee and ex sky sales -then whilst sky is like an opinion -everyone has had one or got one .
vm will never have the upper hand on channels as sky buy alsorts of rubbish and charge a fortune for the good ones look at sky sports -was called a season ticket £80 for 1 year access now £20.25 +10.25 if want in hd thats £243 or £366 per year .
i would like to see more hd channels and they will come its down to the owners themselves like bbc itv dicovery hbo etc -all normal dtv channels will swop and dtv will decline -what is good is the new tivo box supports mpeg4 which will allow vm to take and transmit more hd using less bandwidth on the cable ,which i guess you would all like to hear -what sky customers dont get about sky is they have to plug their hd channels like mad as they dont transmit digital channels at full capacity -supposed to be 576 pixels but they only transmit at 476 according to all and sundry on sky forums -

DaBozUK said...

You're poll needed to include 3D tv, as VM are investing money there at the moment too.

campbellg said...

I'm not in a position to get Sky just now but when the time comes that I can I will leave VM to go to Sky if Sky Atlantic is not available.

I pay for VM services primarily for TV and am disatisfied I do not have access to the shows I most desire to watch - good broadband and a phoneline I rarely use are not enough to make me stay - as for Tivo, without decent HD channels it is not worth it. Until they get channels like Sky Atlantic HD - ie channels showing numerous, memory gobbling, series then I wouldn't even think about getting it.

kenneth said...

Sky Atlantic not all that i saw it on sky it ok but i am staying with virgin. you just go to sky for one channel we may get it but whan we cart say . but virgin for me i know we have not got the red button on tivo with bbc and sky but it will come . ok we got bbc red button for bbc i player so far on tivo .that ok for me i can go to my vhd boxs if i what to go on the red button .

Unknown said...

" NickElliott said...

I'm not fussed about Sky Atlantic etc. as there's no way in the world any of us have the time to watch all this stuff."

Curious comment. From my perspective there's very little on TV of interest. There are a few science docs on BBC HD and BBC 4, and The Killing on BBC 4 was superb, but other than that...

So for me I absolutely want Sky Atlantic so I can watch the best drama in decades - Mad Men.

Nialli said...

@DaBoz I forgot 3D but to be truthful I don't think it would get many votes judging from previous comments made to this blog (Erich aside!)
Even if some folk don't get excited about the Sky Atlantic line up it is still a significant gap in VM's TV offering. After we finally got Sky1 et al back I had hoped the days of carrier exclusives were finally over, but it was not be. Here's a thought - add it to the Sky Movies bundle (Atlantic's likely audience) and charge an extra pound or two for it. That way VM viewers get it and Sky get a fee based on the channel's popularity. Far too sensible!

deadpixel said...

A one quick delete button!!!! Sick of having to selected the folder, select the episode, then select delete. Very annoying. Especially when I want to deleted a whole series.
ooh! In program guide info. When there's a football game on it's a pain to the tv guide just to find out how's playing. Could do it on sky

gothorp23 said...

it would be nice if the tivo box had a reminder button aswell as a record button and also the use of the info button while on mini browse. VM SORT IT OUT SHARPISH,

mail said...

@deadpixel highlight the folder, press and hold clear-folder and all contents gone. press clear on a recording and it's deleated too.
The problem I find with TIVO is yes there are loads of easy ways to do things but it's like keyboard shortcuts on a PC, you have to know about them for them to be useful, they just arn't that intuative.

I'd love to see Atlantic but you have to remember that Most of the Virgins customers probably don't care about it as long as she's got Corrie and he's got sport (i apologise for generalising but just an easy way to make a point)

I'd like to say the TV packages broken up into Genre so as to better pick what I want to watch. and as someone said pay an extra couple of pound for Atlantic

spudgun055 said...

This is quite simple, VM have a killer product in Tivo and it has been available for a couple of months now. Yet the VM marketing team should be fired. I have not seen one TV or magazine add for Tivo. All I do see is Techno mags reviewing the box and giving it a killer review.

VM need to get out there and market this as the must have box (with some new HD and OD content to back it up)once they do this the customer figures and revenue will rise rapidly and they will have bargaining and investment to get ne channels etc.

What company in their right mind releases a Box like Tivo and does not advertise the fact. Sky rave about SKY+ and Shy+HD boxes Apple rave about everything they make and look at the take up

Saj said...

All the free to air channel I want on VM box, there is plenty Asian channel there, which you get on Sky box without any subscription, I mean you can buy sky box from market, plug it in, and all the channels are there, WHY cant we get them on VM box? Please sort something out. Also there is so many other pay Asian channel, but they only have 10 in total, increase this too if possible
Thank you

Nialli said...

@spudgun055: TiVo doesn't launch to the general public until July. Currently it is only available to existing customers, but expect the advertising and marketing to go into overdrive next month.

skyshare said...

I am not interested in Atlantic but would like to see more HD channels such as History HD

kenneth said...

the same more hd channls

campbellg said...

It seems clear from this poll that the thing customers want is content, not gadgetry or extremely high speed broadband.

If only VM had conducted a similar poll of their own with their customers to see what we want, we might have some better content by now.

Once this poll is concluded will a link be getting sent to Virgin??

Noticed an advert for the Borgias this morning in the paper - rather disgruntled to see yet another series about to start I'd have liked to watch.

New Tivo user said...

I'd like to see more HD channels and cheaper 3D movie rentals, I'd love Sky Atlantic HD and I'd pay a little extra for it