ITV/Channel 4/Five to pay for FTV cards?

carrolls

It seems ITV/Channel 4/Five are close to a deal to issue V2 FTV cards for a once off fee.
Read on.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1048241,00.html

watty

Very inaccurate and misleading article.

Sky has already changed over on the Pay TV channels to the new encryption, this is why Sky Welcome does not work on V1 card.


The once off charge is logical and what everyone else in Europe does. In essence by NOT doing that in UK from day1, the BBC was subsidizing not just ITV (who paid nothing) but also the digital FTV viewers.

I'm sure the charge will make Sky a good profit. £8 would make a profit.

Since they claim already the cards are £12 (rubbish), I imagine they will add postage £1 and Admin £5 to make it £18. (+ VAT)

But there is nothing stopping any one off charge being £50 or £100.

It will be cheaper than a minimum period Sky Sub or many hard questions will be asked in UK.

"BSkyB remains willing to offer conditional access services and negotiate provision of solus cards on fair and non discriminatory terms," said a BSkyB spokesman.

fair ?

Hmmm... They already get £20,000 to £75,000+ per EPG channel per annum and maybe over £1000,000 pa per encrypted channel, all of which costs Sky nothing (the carriage of the 7 /14 day planner info costs about £40,000 p.a. max for ALL channels together).

The encryption costs Sky nothing.

Yet they want paid to issue cards too, without which the encryption is clapping with one hand.

Mossy Monk

fingers crossed that it pans out

channelsurfer

have to say that if this does happen then it probably spells the end for the hope of itv c4 going fta in the future so i dont think its such a good idea unless you have relatives in the uk who can get a card for you sorry !!

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by channelsurfer
it probably spells the end for the hope of itv c4 going fta in the future

ITV maybe but don't forget that Channel 4 also have E4 and the Film 4's to encrypt so why not Channel 4 also

i think it would be along time before Channel 4 was available FTA on digital satellite

carrolls

Originally posted by channelsurfer
have to say that if this does happen then it probably spells the end for the hope of itv c4 going fta in the future

I wouldnt be so certain. Paying Sky £18 million per year for
'old rope' probably won't appeal to the Granada/Carlton shareholders, so I think ITV will be FTA this time next year.;)

Skyhater

Hopefully ITV2 will be FTA also..... or at least available on the FTV card

Mossy Monk

New Topic instead of Post Reply me thinks

Skyhater

I meant that the two may coincide

watty

Yes ITV2 is at presnt part of Family pack to give ITV1 a discount on encyption, so that deal ends Aug 2004. PBly all ITV inc ITV2 will go FTA in Sept 2004 then