Now this is an interesting development in the battle for the great British couch potatoes. Determined to take its battle with the almighty Sky into new territory, BT announced a deal to exclusively bring American network AMC to the UK. In recent years, AMC has elevated itself from being a so-so US cable channel to an HBO-rivaling home of award-winning drama, with shows such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Mad Men and the biggest cable show of them all, The Walking Dead.
The new UK channel Awill launch in September with a particular ace up it's sleeve: the Walking Dead spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead.
The channel will also show long-running hits Breaking Bad and Mad Men. It's been announced that it is being made available for the first time in the UK to BT customers via its YouView pay-TV platform.
Delia Bushell, managing director of BT TV and BT Sport, said: “AMC has showcased some of the biggest and most celebrated series on US television in recent years, including Breaking Bad and Mad Men. We’re confident our viewers will enjoy AMC’s cinematic approach to storytelling and look forward to offering them an outstanding selection of TV series and films in the months ahead.”
The question for Virgin Media (and Sky) customers is will this be a BT YouView exclusive? According to BT's own announcement, AMC will be a "BT Exclusive". So, much like Sky doesn't wholesale the Sky Atlantic channel to other platforms, it looks like BT is planning to keep this just for its own customers. That's a game changer, and it looks likely to leave Virgin Media the premium-priced platform with neither HBO nor AMC content. Of course, existing show deals with FX and Netflix may mean we still get AMC content (I recall Better Call Saul being a Netflix exclusive for the commissioned two seasons and I think FX have Walking Dead for another series at least), but again Virgin Media are losing out by the company not playing in the content market itself.
11 comments:
There are talks that Fear The Walking Dead will appear on FOX after The Walking Dead S6 mid-season finale. 6 months AFTER it is exclusively aired on AMC first. Watch this space....
Thank goodness for my fast Virgin broadband speed then ��
When will Virgin start doing deals like this ??
This is getting stupid. If for example you want to watch Fear The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones your supposed to subscribe to BT and Sky? Nobody is going to do that. It's almost forcing people into piracy.
"subscribe to BT and Sky? Nobody is going to do that."
I do precisely that, and so do lots of family & friends. BT's BB may not be up to VM standards (although 80MB is achievable) but you get a nice Youview box which leaves Tivo in the dust, anytime calls (inc 0870), a good range of TV channels, all the BT sport for a bit over £40pm. Then add Sky's package of all channels in HD (inc Movies & Sport), a Sky HD box that makes Tivo look comatose, currently just under £40pm and you're miles better off than with VM - and you can watch Sky Atlantic & AMC!
I pirate whatever I want, I have the biggest package on VM. I also have Netflix and Amazon Instant Video as well. I don't lose any sleep over piracy because I already pay too damn much
It's predictable what will happen after Season 6 of TWD (the main show). BT will ensure it POACHES Season 7 of TWD from FOX, AT ANY COST, for total "WALKING DEAD" exclusivity to ensure UK fans have no choice but to jump ship and sign with them. They are hell bent on stealing viewers from SKY and Virgin Media. BT although they have been around since I was in my teens have come to the cable game pretty late in the day and want to make up for it. It makes you wonder what the hell SKY and VM were doing to let this happen. I certainly won't be joining BT - why should I get locked into a year contract for 6 episodes of a pilot show. Core TWD fans will follow the original and best series - surely.
Exclusivity is forcing people into piracy. There's no way I would subscribe to BT, Sky, Amazon, Netflix and Virgin (if they did the same) so I can watch all the talked about shows. It's getting ridiculous now. Media company greed. So I'll just pirate them. I subscribe to Netflix and the rest on Freesat. Once the channels are on Freesat I'll stop pirating.
Well said MM777. The providers just want to charge more and more. Like reinventing the wheel. We pay for a complete package and they find ways to charge for every little bolt on. Sky started it, BT have followed.
I agree with all previous posts and thanks to my superfast VM broadband just downloaded season 2 episode 1 in 7 minutes 720 as well. yum yum.
Please can the walking dead broadband download acm channel virgin media
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