Cykotic
23-Feb-2007, 03:55 PM
Alright, I'm a little pissed off with Sky. Here is why:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a43031/virgin-media-to-lose-sky-channels.html
According to a statement from Virgin Media, Sky is to pull its basic channels from the cable operator's platform at the end of the month.
Sky One, Two, Three, News and Sports News will be removed from the Virgin Media service following the breakdown of talks last night. Virgin claimed this morning that Sky were asking for double the previous rate for the cable company to carry the channels.
A statement from Virgin Media this morning said that "following an intensive series of meetings over the last week," it anticipated a withdrawal of these channels by Sky at the end of February.
It went on to say: "The nature of these negotiations leads us to believe that this outcome has been deliberately engineered by Sky in order to suppress competition and coerce Virgin Media's customers into switching to its service by denying them access to the basic channels.
"This view is reinforced by Sky's decision to broadcast, at the height of negotiations on 12 February, a series of promotions claiming that the channels were about to disappear from Virgin Media's network. This was nothing more than a heavy-handed attempt to exert undue influence on the negotiating process."
Commenting on the anticipated withdrawal of Sky's basic channels, Steve Burch, president and chief executive of Virgin Media said: "Sky's behaviour is a heavy handed and anti-competitive response to that challenge and consumer choice has been reduced as a result. I'm pleased, however, that at a time when they're taking content away, Virgin Media is giving people more."
I'm a Virgin Media customer (They used to be Telewest) and I'm getting very annoyed at the tactics at that Sky taken in order to get their way. Personally, I'm sticking with Virgin Media.
Does anyone else agree that Sky has just picked up the ball and went home?
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a43031/virgin-media-to-lose-sky-channels.html
According to a statement from Virgin Media, Sky is to pull its basic channels from the cable operator's platform at the end of the month.
Sky One, Two, Three, News and Sports News will be removed from the Virgin Media service following the breakdown of talks last night. Virgin claimed this morning that Sky were asking for double the previous rate for the cable company to carry the channels.
A statement from Virgin Media this morning said that "following an intensive series of meetings over the last week," it anticipated a withdrawal of these channels by Sky at the end of February.
It went on to say: "The nature of these negotiations leads us to believe that this outcome has been deliberately engineered by Sky in order to suppress competition and coerce Virgin Media's customers into switching to its service by denying them access to the basic channels.
"This view is reinforced by Sky's decision to broadcast, at the height of negotiations on 12 February, a series of promotions claiming that the channels were about to disappear from Virgin Media's network. This was nothing more than a heavy-handed attempt to exert undue influence on the negotiating process."
Commenting on the anticipated withdrawal of Sky's basic channels, Steve Burch, president and chief executive of Virgin Media said: "Sky's behaviour is a heavy handed and anti-competitive response to that challenge and consumer choice has been reduced as a result. I'm pleased, however, that at a time when they're taking content away, Virgin Media is giving people more."
I'm a Virgin Media customer (They used to be Telewest) and I'm getting very annoyed at the tactics at that Sky taken in order to get their way. Personally, I'm sticking with Virgin Media.
Does anyone else agree that Sky has just picked up the ball and went home?