ITV FTA decision: Not before April...

Charles Slane

byte wrote:

Any chance of a direct linky?

No link but here's the skinny (I'll look for the link in a while) -

"ITV complaint about Sky's proposed charge for ITV1 regionalisation
CW/00807/12/04
Complainant : ITV plc ("ITV")
Complaint against: BSkyB and Sky Subscribers Services Ltd ("Sky")
Case opened: 31 December 2004
Issue: Alleged breach of Sky's obligations regarding the provision of EPG (electronic programme guide) services
Relevant instrument: Condition 1 and Condition 11 of Schedule 1 to the continuation notice to a class of persons defined as the licensee for the purposes of the provision of electronic programme guide services under paragraph 9 of Schedule 18 to the Communications Act 2003 ("the EPG Conditions") and/or Ofcom's code of practice on electronic programme guides ("the EPG Code").

Background
ITV has complained to Ofcom about Sky's proposed charge for regionalisation of ITV1 on Sky's digital satellite platform.

The service that ITV has requested from Sky delivers the appropriate ITV1 regional variant to Sky digital satellite subscribers. This means, for example, that a viewer in Manchester who selects Sky channel 103 would see Granada , while a viewer in Belfast would see Ulster Television.

ITV alleges that the charge proposed by Sky for the service is not fair and reasonable, and that it is discriminatory when compared to charges made to other broadcasters for related services.

Ofcom is considering ITV's allegations.

Case Leader: Louise Marriage (020 7783 4333 e-mail: Louise.Marriage@ofcom.org.uk)
Case Reference: CW/00807/12/04"

Charles Slane

Ah... here's the link .....

Very interesting. It definitely seems to imply that encryption is on it's way out and the issue is localisation.

Tony

Colm80 wrote:

Tony Did you phone her.

Yes left a message on her voicemail asking her to comment, call never returned

Colm80

Tony wrote:

Yes left a message on her voicemail asking her to comment, call never returned

That says it all regarding sky reps.

Tony

Ms. Geraghty phoned me this morning and denied telling anyone that ITV was going free to air. She was a little taken aback when I told her that she was being quoted as saying as much.

She did however take the view that some have here that given the nature of the current negotiations (which she has no knowledge of) it is more likely than not that it will go FTA.

Mossy Monk

are my dreams visionary i wonder

clarkbelt

Tony wrote:

Ms. Geraghty phoned me this morning and denied telling anyone that ITV was going free to air. She was a little taken aback when I told her that she was being quoted as saying as much.

She did however take the view that some have here that given the nature of the current negotiations (which she has no knowledge of) it is more likely than not that it will go FTA.

Tony ,

These people are not in the habit "Quoting" anyone . They are not Public Relations Officers or Spokespeople for Sky . I can understand why she would deny saying such .

I doubt if my buddy with which Ms Geraghty met last week is going to be privy to any further news she has , bogus or otherwise , following your phone calls to verify his story . Could you not have been a bit more tactful ?

I'm sure if Ms.Geraghty had given us the frequency of FTA ITV , both you and all here would have tried tuning in the channel before ringing anyone to see if the news was indeed true .

lawhec

clarkbelt wrote:

I'm sure if Ms.Geraghty had given us the frequency of FTA ITV , both you and all here would have tried tuning in the channel before ringing anyone to see if the news was indeed true .

I'm sure that if ITV flicked the switch to end Videoguard encryption and become FTA the news would be plastered both here and on D****** S** within three minutes of it happening! :eek:

Brian017

More like 15 seconds.

Tony

Are you for real? You were the one who mentioned Susan Geraghty not me and if you are talking about being tactful dont you think Ms. Geraghty can take a look at boards.ie too ?

If you had read my earlier post she said that she was not in the loop on the ITV issue, nobody is bar the people who are actually involved in the negotiations.

I think you better knock off the BS buddy you are talking total rubbish

clarkbelt wrote:

Tony ,

These people are not in the habit "Quoting" anyone . They are not Public Relations Officers or Spokespeople for Sky . I can understand why she would deny saying such .

I doubt if my buddy with which Ms Geraghty met last week is going to be privy to any further news she has , bogus or otherwise , following your phone calls to verify his story . Could you not have been a bit more tactful ?

I'm sure if Ms.Geraghty had given us the frequency of FTA ITV , both you and all here would have tried tuning in the channel before ringing anyone to see if the news was indeed true .

DMC

clarkbelt wrote:

I'm sure if Ms.Geraghty had given us the frequency of FTA ITV , both you and all here would have tried tuning in the channel before ringing anyone to see if the news was indeed true .

There would be no testing of an FTA ITV frequency, it will be exactly the same frequencies as now. All someone has to do is flick the big toggle switch marked FTA/FTV to FTA and all is done. The BBC, when it moved to 2D, remained encrypted until 20th July 2003.

DMC

Ohh. and Today is the 19th... so there should be news one way or the other if not today, then certainly tomorrow.......

Mossy Monk

anything yet?

damn work for taking me away from my Sky box

DMC

Luckily... with boards downtime for the last 32 hours... ITV have not said a thing... so it looks like we will have to wait for their OFCOM judgement.

Charles Slane

But this link is very interesting -

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9071-1448977,00.html

"Bridget Jones sides with ITV in BSkyB battle
Times Online's daily diary of business news from the media sector, compiled by Times Media Editor Dan Sabbagh and Mike Verdin

Can International Rescue's puppet heroes save ITV from a further slide in viewing figures?

The latest Thunderbirds film was among a portfolio of NBC Universal titles which will receive their UK terrestrial premiers on ITV thanks to a contract announced today.

Still, the deal's real significance lies on in the range of the portfolio, which also includes the latest King Kong film and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, but the way ITV will be allowed to broadcast it – unencrypted.

This means that the films will be receivable in Europe by anyone with a suitable arial. Put another way, the clause frees the broadcaster, on the satellite medium, from reliance on BSkyB - so strengthening ITV's hand in a row over fees.

Under a transmission arrangement, ITV pays BSkyB a £17 million carriage charge which also covers the regionalisation of coverage to allow, for example, local news programmes.

Importantly, BSkyB, in which The News Corporation, parent company of The Times, has a 35.4 per cent stake, also provides encryption services so that only subscribers with set top boxes can watch transmissions.

Today's deal would allow ITV, which claims it is being charged too much, to broadcast NBC Universal programmes over the subscription-free Freesat satellite services which is being planned by the BBC. And which ITV is threatening to join if BSkyB does not cut the carriage charge to £4 million.

Wide broadcasting of NBC Universal films would not help the Franco-American media giant's efforts to keep a firm grip of its programmes. Which is perhaps why today's contract took so long to seal. A previous rights deal ostensibly lapsed more than a year ago with today's agreement covering 2004-06 titles.

That ITV was willing to hang on so long signals its determination to win unencrypted broadcasting rights.

"You would not believe the legal difficulties involved," an ITV spokesman told Times Online.

BSkyB has a fight on its hands."

Maybe there'll be some news tomorrow. In the meantime the article above is very hopeful.

DMC

Yes, its looks more and more like it will be FTA, but they are looking for the same or better than the BBC's current EPG deal with Sky.

Charles Slane

By the way, I meant to credit Unners over on Digital Spy for spotting that article in the Times.

lighthouse

DMC wrote:

Yes, its looks more and more like it will be FTA, but they are looking for the same or better than the BBC's current EPG deal with Sky.

My own opinion is that it will remain encrypted.If ITV were thinking of going FTA it would have done so 2 months ago.It is still encrypted after 2 months after the original deadline.They are trying to hammer out a deal with Sky to remain encrypted,otherwise they would have said "to hell with all of this,let's broadcast FTA" or something to that effect.Time will tell but I bet 10 euro with any forum member who is willing to take me up that ITV will remaim encrypted for the foreseeable future.Go neiri bhur bothair libh,Slan.

Tony

lighthouse wrote:

My own opinion is that it will remain encrypted.If ITV were thinking of going FTA it would have done so 2 months ago.It is still encrypted after 2 months after the original deadline.They are trying to hammer out a deal with Sky to remain encrypted,otherwise they would have said "to hell with all of this,let's broadcast FTA" or something to that effect.Time will tell but I bet 10 euro with any forum member who is willing to take me up that ITV will remaim encrypted for the foreseeable future.Go neiri bhur bothair libh,Slan.

I respectfully disagree, if they took a unilateral decision to go FTA without an agreement on EPG placement and regionalisation then they would have shot themselves in the foot and in any case they would have had to resolve rights issues before doing so which is easier said than done.

Brian017

Sometimes no news is good news, as they say

channelsurfer

ok so can I suggest that if the ofcom decision goes in favour of itv and sky are forced to charge them only 4million then itv will stay ftv ... but if the fee is more like 10million itv will walk away and go fta and take the risk of not having a correct epg placement.

Macy

channelsurfer wrote:

ok so can I suggest that if the ofcom decision goes in favour of itv and sky are forced to charge them only 4million then itv will stay ftv ... but if the fee is more like 10million itv will walk away and go fta and take the risk of not having a correct epg placement.

epg placement isn't a risk - they have to be on 103 due to ofcom rules.

The regionalisation issue would be the same if they were FTA or FTV, however they're looking for the same deal as the BBC, may indicate the FTA decision is already made (we can but hope).

Tony

Macy wrote:

epg placement isn't a risk - they have to be on 103 due to ofcom rules.

did'nt the BBC have to fight sky on this ?

Macy

Tony wrote:

did'nt the BBC have to fight sky on this ?

not 100% tbh, but think it's ofcom rules to have the 5 terrestrial channels at 101-105.

Tony

Macy wrote:

not 100% tbh, but think it's ofcom rules to have the 5 terrestrial channels at 101-105.

good news, one less obstacle

byte

Tony wrote:

did'nt the BBC have to fight sky on this ?

Yeah, the Beeb had issues too, as Sky I think said something along the lines that BBC couldn't use 101, 102 if they went FTA as the positions were used by RTE One and Two :rolleyes: Dunno if they'd issues regarding the pricing of placement too.

xabi

Anyone know whats happening with this, will there be a decission soon?

dmeehan

xabi wrote:

Anyone know whats happening with this, will there be a decission soon?

ithought it was delayed a month to Jan 20th??

Tom Dunne

/me checks calendar

Wasn't the 20th last week? Or is Kerry a week behind the rest of us?

Colm80

OFCOMS decision wont be till may. So we might have to wait a bit longer.