The Virgin Media Television thread

Digifriendly

Why was there no evening news bulletin on VM last night? The rugby coverage went on to after 6.00pm which IMHO is too long. The match was over c4.50pm and if they had to have so much post match analysis could they not either have used VM2 for news or even VM2 for post match analysis and had news on VM1?

Elmo

Digifriendly wrote: »

Why was there no evening news bulletin on VM last night? The rugby coverage went on to after 6.00pm which IMHO is too long. The match was over c4.50pm and if they had to have so much post match analysis could they not either have used VM2 for news or even VM2 for post match analysis and had news on VM1?

Purely a case of trying to hold an audience.

iseegirls

They've really gone overboard on post match analysis this year. The first Irish game of the six Nations a few weeks ago must have finished about 6.40, and they had analysis until 8.30. The guys must have been fed up in studio.

Digifriendly

Elmo wrote: »

Purely a case of trying to hold an audience.

I'm a rugby fan but I think an evening news bulletin is important at the weekend as well as during the week.

Maz2016

Looks Like Virgin have done. a U-turn and are bringing back This Morning and cutting back on Ireland AM and the news.

Per the virgin media one Facebook page:

Due to popular demand, viewers favourite This Morning with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield will return weekdays from 10am-12.30pm from Monday 9th March, with Ireland’s longest-running breakfast TV show Ireland AM, airing from 7am-10am, Monday to Friday and from 9am on Weekends.

Virgin Media News will air from 12.30pm to 1.00pm.

The Elaine Show will get a makeover with a brand new set and will move to weekdays from 3pm – 4pm.

iseegirls

This had to happen. A padded out News at 12 was a waste of time. A prerecorded Elaine wasn't right for 11, and Ireland AM was getting so bloated.

Wonder is Loose Women returning too.

Elmo

iseegirls wrote: »

This had to happen. A padded out News at 12 was a waste of time. A prerecorded Elaine wasn't right for 11, and Ireland AM was getting so bloated.

Wonder is Loose Women returning too.

I’d love to know the difference in audience levels that’s the quickest turn around for Virgin Media. They should just drop Elaine

Digifriendly

At least VM are listening to viewers. Something positive.

Elmo

Digifriendly wrote: »

At least VM are listening to viewers. Something positive.

They were looking at their audience share. I'd say if those shows had kept half of the audience of This Morning it wouldn't be coming back.

I'd say the initial discussion in VMTV was how do we reduce costs. They saw This Morning costing x amount and realized they could cut there and with no investment they could move around their Irish schedule.

They thought this because over the last 3 years they'd got away with dropping also most all of ITV's daytime output or airing older episodes rather than simucasts.

Virgin Media Television confirms 300 hours of additional live Irish programming as part of major daytime revamp

https://www.virginmedia.ie/about-us/press/2019/additional-live-programming/

None of the newspaper went with the new reality. Virgin Media Television cut 300 hours of Irish TV programming.

iseegirls

And following on from that press release a few months ago, we now have 1 hour less of Ireland AM, midday news chopped down to 30 minutes, and the News at 10 on VM2 was quietly axed. So thats 2 hours a day of home produced programming gone.

Agree that the replacements during afternoon on VM1 have been programmes that have been on ITV years ago. The Chase episodes are from 3 years ago. Star Treatment is from 2013. Even on VM2 and VM3, they're stuck on a continuing loop of S7 and S8 of Tipping Point, S13 of Dickinson's Real Deal and The Royal & Heartbeat reruns upon reruns.

An Ciarraioch

Seems the Six Nations will now be shown on Sky in the UK - surprised personally that Ireland matches only have deferred protection on the FTA list here.

Elmo

An Ciarraioch wrote: »

Seems the Six Nations will now be shown on Sky in the UK - surprised personally that Ireland matches only have deferred protection on the FTA list here.

Sure the IRFU would never let that happen here, they promised. When does the dept review those rights.

An Ciarraioch

This year, apparently, when I checked the website the list was last reviewed in 2017:

https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/communications/topics/broadcasting-media/regulation/Pages/Designation-of-Major-Events.aspx

icdg

An Ciarraioch wrote: »

Seems the Six Nations will now be shown on Sky in the UK

That’s not confirmed at all. The deadline for bids hasn’t even closed yet. The Rugby Paper ran a sensationalist headline this morning which if read properly only says that Sky are in “pole position” to acquire the rights owing to Six Nations Rugby barring joint bids.

Digifriendly

icdg wrote: »

That’s not confirmed at all. The deadline for bids hasn’t even closed yet. The Rugby Paper ran a sensationalist headline this morning which if read properly only says that Sky are in “pole position” to acquire the rights owing to Six Nations Rugby barring joint bids.

If you read Digital Spy Forums (Broadcasting) and Wales Online this is more than a sensationalist headline.

channelsurfer2

icdg wrote: »

That’s not confirmed at all. The deadline for bids hasn’t even closed yet. The Rugby Paper ran a sensationalist headline this morning which if read properly only says that Sky are in “pole position” to acquire the rights owing to Six Nations Rugby barring joint bids.

yep. its one of those click-bait articles. may.. probably.. likely... 300 million.. then says deadline is not even closed yet..

icdg

Digifriendly wrote: »

If you read Digital Spy Forums (Broadcasting) and Wales Online this is more than a sensationalist headline.

I don’t doubt that. But let’s look at their logic, shall we:

1. The BBC could not afford to bid alone last time, so bid jointly with ITV.
2. ITV and BBC are not allowed jointly bid.
3. Because of (1) and (2) it is inevitable that either BBC or ITV alone will be outbid by pay-TV
4. Sky are known to be interested.
5. (And here’s where logic turns into jumping to conclusions) Sky will inevitably win the rights.

Even if you follow the logic, and say there is a high likelihood of Sky winning the rights, that’s not the same as stating Sky have won the rights. That’s like stating before kick off that Ireland have beaten Italy (if the match were going ahead). Sure it’s highly likely. But you cannot say it will definitely happen before bids have closed. Even if you knew now exactly who the bidders are and how much each are intending to bid there still enough time for that to change - because if a media outlet can find that out, so can the bidders.

channelsurfer2

icdg wrote: »

I don’t doubt that. But let’s look at their logic, shall we:

1. The BBC could not afford to bid alone last time, so bid jointly with ITV.
2. ITV and BBC are not allowed jointly bid.
3. Because of (1) and (2) it is inevitable that either BBC or ITV alone will be outbid by pay-TV
4. Sky are known to be interested.
5. (And here’s where logic turns into jumping to conclusions) Sky will inevitably win the rights.

Even if you follow the logic, and say there is a high likelihood of Sky winning the rights, that’s not the same as stating Sky have won the rights. That’s like stating before kick off that Ireland have beaten Italy (if the match were going ahead). Sure it’s highly likely. But you cannot say it will definitely happen before bids have closed. Even if you knew now exactly who the bidders are and how much each are intending to bid there still enough time for that to change - because if a media outlet can find that out, so can the bidders.

It did guarantee one thing though. the viewership of the rugbypaper website probably increased 1000% today and yesterday.

iseegirls

The Irish live Six Nations games should be moved into the protected list as soon as possible. That should alleviate fears about them disappearing. Nobody wants the situation where some England v Ireland matches were unavailable in early 00's when Sky had the home English rights, and RTE couldn't show it live.

Digifriendly

icdg wrote: »

I don’t doubt that. But let’s look at their logic, shall we:

1. The BBC could not afford to bid alone last time, so bid jointly with ITV.
2. ITV and BBC are not allowed jointly bid.
3. Because of (1) and (2) it is inevitable that either BBC or ITV alone will be outbid by pay-TV
4. Sky are known to be interested.
5. (And here’s where logic turns into jumping to conclusions) Sky will inevitably win the rights.

Even if you follow the logic, and say there is a high likelihood of Sky winning the rights, that’s not the same as stating Sky have won the rights. That’s like stating before kick off that Ireland have beaten Italy (if the match were going ahead). Sure it’s highly likely. But you cannot say it will definitely happen before bids have closed. Even if you knew now exactly who the bidders are and how much each are intending to bid there still enough time for that to change - because if a media outlet can find that out, so can the bidders.

You're spot on in your analysis. Lot of water to go under the bridge as they say before this is finalised although there is a motion to go before UK parliament to get 6N to Category A Protected List in order to ensure live FTA coverage.

iseegirls

I see Judge Judy will officially finish up in 2021. I'm sure Virgin Media will drag it out for the next 30 or so years at 4:30pm anyway. Been on TV3 since Day 2, at 3:30pm, before shifting to 4:30 a year later and it pretty much stayed there for 21 years. One of the very few imported shows they have left on any of their channels that isn't associated to ITV Studios.

Also, the scraping of the barrel continues, with a full repeat of This Morning (all 150 minutes) available on VM3 every night after midnight.

twinklerunner

iseegirls wrote: »

Also, the scraping of the barrel continues, with a full repeat of This Morning (all 150 minutes) available on VM3 every night after midnight.

Truly awful scheduling. I’m sure there’s a huge audience for that repeat on VM3.

Elmo

I think we will soon see VMThree being replaced by VMOne +1 on Saorview and by VMTwo +1 on other service providers.

JDxtra

Repeating This Morning is ridiculous. That's disposable TV, not meant for recycling. Jaysus they'd chance their arm with anything that's cheap.

Delta2113

Glad to see that getting rid off This Morning proved to be a massive mistake. They should be embarrassed with the repeat on VM3.

iseegirls

The pausing of Six Nations will hardly help VM this weekend. Although, it will give them an excuse to get in a 2008 episode of The Cube no doubt

Eyes will be on Cheltenham - think it's too late in the week for it to be cancelled. Amazed that the Six Nations gets paused, but yet a quarter of a million people can gather at a race meeting over 4 days. (different forum, different topic perhaps)

Their PSG Dortmund Wednesday Champions League game on VM2 will have no fans in attendance.

icdg

Indeed, this isn’t really the forum to comment on the merits or demerits of individual sporting events being cancelled - thought its fine to talk about the effects that cancellations will have on the schedule (poor VM One effectively now have to rip theirs up for Saturday, though Wales v Scotland is still on as of now).

iseegirls

The cancellation of the Ireland match just brings Ant & Dec SNT scheduled from Sunday back to Saturday night. And The Voice will move back from VM2 to VM1.

The match would have brought huge numbers for them - a 8pm Saturday match - against France - with possibly the Six Nations title to be decided. Oh well, we'll have to wait until it's been re-scheduled.

AwaitYourReply

iseegirls wrote: »

The cancellation of the Ireland match just brings Ant & Dec SNT scheduled from Sunday back to Saturday night. And The Voice will move back from VM2 to VM1.

The match would have brought huge numbers for them - a 8pm Saturday match - against France - with possibly the Six Nations title to be decided. Oh well, we'll have to wait until it's been re-scheduled.

I think the whole impact of this year's Six Nations rugby union international series is now compromised by several key fixtures now cancelled/postponed indefinitely. The measures introduced on public health & safety grounds as a result of the spread of the Coronavirus infection will probably cause many more public events to be cancelled. The owners of Virgin Media Television here in Ireland must be hopping mad about it's unfortunate timing but it's probably the correct decision to err on the side of caution. Once these matches are re-scheduled for later in the year, much of the excitement will have evaporated for many viewers unless they are die-hard fans or directly involved in the sport.

Last Saturday while Virgin Media One was screening a Six Nations match, I noticed once again that it's NEWS@ 5:30pm was not broadcast at all. I appreciate Virgin Media would have paid a significant sum of money to acquire the rights to broadcast this major sports event although; I also think the station with it's THREE free-to-air tv channels (not to mention Virgin Media Sports channel) should not be permitted to ditch news coverage in this way. It often moves it's 8pm news programme to an alternative time slot and will move it's drama serials like Emmerdale/Coronation Street (which it's pays a lot to ITV) over to it's other channels to accommodate sports coverage like UEFA Champions League so; I can't understand why it's permitted to cancel it's only evening news bulletin across it's entire tv network.

The BAI must not have strict regulation here in Ireland if Virgin Media TV is allowed to do this any time a major event clashes with it's weekend news broadcasts. I think the UK's main commercial broadcaster, ITV would not get away with this as it has two evening news bulletins on it's main ITV network channel even on Sat/Sun and it will either broadcast before/after the event - it won't even be allowed to move ITV News to one of it's other channels like ITV2, ITV3, ITV4.

Elmo

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Last Saturday while Virgin Media One was screening a Six Nations match, I noticed once again that it's NEWS@ 5:30pm was not broadcast at all. I appreciate Virgin Media would have paid a significant sum of money to acquire the rights to broadcast this major sports event although; I also think the station with it's THREE free-to-air tv channels (not to mention Virgin Media Sports channel) should not be permitted to ditch news coverage in this way. It often moves it's 8pm news programme to an alternative time slot and will move it's drama serials like Emmerdale/Coronation Street (which it's pays a lot to ITV) over to it's other channels to accommodate sports coverage like UEFA Champions League so; I can't understand why it's permitted to cancel it's only evening news bulletin across it's entire tv network.

Very strange when you think that when UTV Ireland (now Virgin Media THREE) that TV3 complained to the BAI about UTV Ireland's status as a PSB on saorview. Indeed when you consider that the BAI and Dept went to the trouble of making UTV Ireland a PSB for saorview its current form seems to completely go against TV3 own original complaint about the channel. But sure you will never see a minister have to do that for any new service if they start up on Saorview. E.g. Radio Maria.