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answer from sky on uk channels or lack of it!

  • 26-09-2003 12:31pm
    #1
    donhughberto
    Closed Accounts Posts: 811 ✭✭✭


    Email sent to sky customer care and the reply, a prime example of how sky treat cusstomers in republic!

    Viewing Issue. - ITV, Channel 4 and Five


    Hi there

    I am dissapointed to find out that sky are withholding these channels from
    its valuable Irish customer base. I am part of a forum of people who all feel cheated by sky.

    I have a mirror subscription so i pay sky 80 euros a month like many of my friends. Its time for Sky to let us know if we are living in false hope about getting access to these channels. I would like a response outside the normal we are in negotiations with the companys etc. When can we get them. or best estimate on this. Please be aware i am posting your reply to a lot of people on this.

    Hugh


    Dear Hugh
    Thank you for your recent email about UK terrestrials.

    Having noted the comments of your communication regarding availability of
    Channel 4 and Channel 5 in ROI via the Sky digital service. May I suggest
    that you contact Channel 4 and Channel 5 directly in order to receive any
    further information in this regard.

    I apologise that I am unable to offer a more favourable response on this
    occasion.

    Kind regards

    Alexis Hendry
    Customer Admin


    This is typical answer from those boll**ks at sky! I am going to seend his reply to channel 4 and five to see what they say on the matter. Sky customer care really is a joke!


Comments

  • #2
    timpat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 58 ✭✭timpat


    You're wasting your time e-mailing FIVE. They have told me and a number of others on this Forum in no uncertain terms that they have no interest in Ireland now or in the future. I don't expect that to change until there is a change of ownership at FIVE.

    Hopefully you might get some encouragement from Channel 4. They do have an interest in the Irish market but something, which I can't figure out and they haven't explained, seems to be preventing them from joining Sky in Ireland. I look forward to seeing the reply you get. With a bit of luck it might shed some more light!!


  • #3
    corm500
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 863 ✭✭✭corm500


    FIVE never had a proper customer base in Ireland aside from analog sat, so I can understand to a certain extent their lack of interest.
    UTV really want to be on it but their hands are tied by the ITV big shots (Granada etc.).
    but does anyone know why C4 is so reluctant to be on the Irish Sky system? this has been bugging me for a long time and I still dont know who the bad guy is:confused:

    Corm500


  • #4
    BrianD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    Well you can't really blame Sky Digital for the lack of these channels - they are only the means of delivery of television services. Obviously it would be in Sky's interest to have a strong channel line up but it is up to the individual channels to make their agreements with the carriers. Usually, there are two issues to be dealt with - how much the indicidual channel is willing to pay to be on Sky and if they have the rights to show particular programmes outside their territory or have the rights to broadcast on all platforms (ie digital sat, digital cable, analogue etc.).


  • #5
    LFCFan
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 3,816 Mod ✭✭✭✭LFCFan


    I wouldn't blame Sky either. If anything they would be in more of a rush to have UTV, Ch4 and Ch5 on their platform in Ireland as it would seriously put the ****s up NTL and Chorus as the main reason people won't switch to Sky is because these channels aren't available. With Sky+ probably gonna become the main Sky STB the only thing stopping Sky from taking all of NTL and Choruses customers is the issue with these channels (and the few people who don't want or can't have a dish).


  • #6
    Mossy Monk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 28,128 ✭✭✭✭Mossy Monk


    Originally posted by timpat
    I don't expect that to change until there is a change of ownership at FIVE

    isn't Rupert interested in buying out five. if he does who knows


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  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Originally posted by corm500
    FIVE never had a proper customer base in Ireland aside from analog sat, so I can understand to a certain extent their lack of interest.
    Hmmmm, they have a lot of viewers in Wexford and Wicklow via an aerial from presely.
    A lot of films and ahem late night soft prUn makes them very popular.

    mm


  • #8
    Sin e an Fear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 141 ✭✭Sin e an Fear


    Hopefully you might get some encouragement from Channel 4. They do have an interest in the Irish market but something, which I can't figure out and they haven't explained, seems to be preventing them from joining Sky in Ireland. I look forward to seeing the reply you get. With a bit of luck it might shed some more light!!


    channel4.com I posted his reply to my letter on this forum, but he won't tell you anything he wouldn't have said in his letter to me.

    Basically it's down to rights, and the unwillingness to rock the boat with cable and MMDS operators.


  • #9
    lawhec
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭lawhec


    I think some things need to be cleared up about this matter...

    1) Sky are only the platform provider for these channels - they are not simply holding off UTV, Channel 4 anf Five for their own good. If they knew they could include these channels they could. But...

    2) UTV have a strong interest in broadcasting to Sky Digital viewers in the Republic but their hands are tied by Granada who want to keep TV3 going...

    3) Five have many time over said that they have no specific interest in viewership in the republic. The only analogue terrestial audience they have is on the south-east coast and parts of Co.Louth & Inishowen...

    4) Channel four's reasons are a bit murkier. The only reason I can think off is that they must be figuring out that they would in the long term stand to lose money by becoming available on Sky Digital. If you don't think that's possible, the cut that Channel 4 would get from Sky may only be a few cents per customer per month (Sky are very keen at the moment to wring as much money as possible out of broadcasters on their platform) the difference between the cut from this and the cut they probably get from cable & MMDS operators I'd say is very significant, thanks to contracts that were signed years ago. Channel 4 would have their head screwed on to realise that if they became available on Sky Digital in Ireland many may leave NTL & Chorus to take up Sky, meaning that the amount they get per viewer in the Republic would be less than before. I believe that Channel 4 will only become available on Sky Digital in the Republic when ITV join it, because while ITV & Channel 4 togehter may be a convincing enough together to be exclusive on one platform, if one was to broadcast on Sky to the Republic it'll be almost certain tat the other would very shortly as the one channel remaining themselves I'd believe would not be enough to convince subscribers to stay on a particular platform.

    So there's my €0.02!


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