Campaign for BBC3, 4, News 24 and BBC Radio in Ireland.

irishgeo

Here is a copy of what i faxed off. I sent one fax to Sky itself and the other one to julian eccless.I cant be bothered to check the spelling of his name.No reply as yet. I sent them at about 4pm friday.
To whom it may concern.


I am a Sky subscriber in the Republic of Ireland. I am disappointed with the replies I have been getting from your customer service people. I am very disappointed with the way Irish subscribers are treated by Sky. I have made a list of complaints that I feel, need addressing.

1. ITV1 and ITV2 not been carried on the Irish EPG.
2. The BBC radio channels not been carried on the Irish EPG.
3. The encryption of BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio5 LIVE Xtra. (This is because of football rights issues were we told but the BBC have Radio 5 live commentary, as part of their FA Cup interactive service and this is available to viewers in Ireland. )
4. The encryption of TV stations and radio broadcasts e.g. S4C and Talk sport.)
5. The lack of availability of Sky + and Sky active.
6. The high cost of Sky Box Office movies and events and the subscriptions themselves.
7. The lack of carriage of channel 4 and channel 5 in the Republic of Ireland.
8. The logos, which crowd the screen making it difficult to see what we are paying for. You should have put an interactive button on the control when you built it that would have got rid of the need to have the red dot on the screen.

I am happy with some of what Sky have managed to bring is in the Republic of Ireland. The carriage of BBC1 NI and BBC 2 NI is one. I am looking forward to the interactive Formula 1 coverage in March. I also like to say I can’t wait for RTE to go on Sky in April as well.

I just though I would bring these matters to your attention and hope to hear from you in the near future.


Kevin Mc Neela.

byte

nice one Kevin. Will be interesting to see what the reply will be

Kevin,
I hope you get a worthwhile reply to your Fax.
But imho as I've said before, all the things that you mention are that way because it suits Sky.
They are so much the dominant player in the market as to be almost a monoploy.
On the whole the service provided by them is liked by all their subscribers despite it's many misgivings/discrimination against Irish users.
As such there is no pressure that can be put to bear on them as subscribers are going to continue to subscribe and more will join.

In that climate- all these e-mails are just nuisance value to them.
The only Stick that can Whack Sky into providing these services is if another digital player offers them in the marketplace.
In other words Ntl should get its finger out-but thats unlikely as they are in financial turmoil.

I don't know what the state of play is regarding proposed DTT services-but the last I read here was that finance was holding that up also.

In the meantime all our subscriptions are going out of the Country, lining foreign pockets and we get the run a round when we ask to have the same service as the U.K:mad:
It's a no win situation as I see it for the time being anyway:mad:
mm

Charles Slane

It will be interesting to see if Radio 6 Music appears on the Irish EPG.

When Radio 5LSE didn't appear I was annoyed, but not completely surprised (mainly because of the old "sporting rights" chestnut).

As Radios 1 to 4 are available free to air in Ireland anyway, it's just a lack of courtesy that makes the BBC keep them off the Irish EPG.

When BBC Cymru and World Service Extra appeared on the Irish EPG, it at least made a small step in the right direction. If Radio 6 Music appears it will be significant, because it means that there's no justification whatsoever for keeping the others off.

Maybe it's time to e-mail the Beeb, or should we wait until after the launch in the hope that they'll put it on without thinking ?

Mossy Monk

i sent off an email last Thursday or Friday regarding the new radio channels and i am still waiting for a reply

Charles Slane

The replies seem to be taking longer and longer (I'm waiting for a few myself).

I can imagine them checking their mail screaming "Not another one from those whining Irish b*****ds !! For God's sake someone give them the bl**dy channels !!"

Do you think we might finally be driving them insane ?

PacMan

I have sent 3 e-mails to Sky, 1 to UTV, and sent an e-mail to the BBC over the weekend. Two of the replies that I have received from Sky were similiar to those posted on this thread.
I think its time for a "Full Attack". We have tried the "Soft" approach, and I think its time for a new campaign. This time we should all bombard Sky with several e-mails a day!!!!!!!!
That way it will drive them crazy and maybe they will notice that we wont go away!!!!!

Our man in Havana

There is something call harrasment. They could have you in court for that!

Mr Burns

Thread Closed.

Our man in Havana

Things are awfully quiet here of late.

Charles Slane

Yes, things have been quiet, haven't they ? (Harmonica music in background as a tumbleweed is blown across the dusty campaign thread... . . . . )

But here's a thing - The new BBC childrens channels (CBBC and CBeebies) have tests on 11720H. The programme info panel says "CBBC/CBeebies starting 11th February". But the bad news is - on an Irish digibox we also get the "This programme is not available" message.

So there you have it. Another two BBC channels not available to Irish Sky subscribers.

The list is getting longer as the Beeb launch more and more channels.

Coming up we've got (or not got actually) -

CBBC
CBeebies
BBC3
BBC4
Radio 6 Music
The new urbdan music radio station.
The new childrens and speech radio station.

None of which will be available and/or on the Irish EPG (and yet they give us BBC Cymru and World Service Extra - is there really no God ?).

Added to that - No ITV on the EPG, no ITV2, no Channel 4, no Channel 5, no Radio 5 live or 5LSE, no Radios 1 to 4 on the EPG, no talkSport, no Tara TV, no S4C .... have I left anything out ?

The whole Irish Sky thing is begining to stink like something that stinks a lot .... an awful lot.

E-mail Sky and tell them what you think.

And while you're at it, let them know if you'd recommend their service to your friends or family. They'll be interested in that, given that they're spending thousands on advertising trying to convince subscribers to recommend their service to friends.

DMC

Originally posted by Mr Burns
Thread Closed.

After only 2 posts you felt it right to say that?

Look. We're in this for the long haul, just because its going quiet for a couple of days does'nt mean the campaign has stopped.

And if folk are sending snail mails to Sky...... Isn't it going to take a wee bit longer?

Take a chill pill, please..........

DMC

Originally posted by Charles Slane

Added to that - No ITV on the EPG, no ITV2, no Channel 4, no Channel 5, no Radio 5 live or 5LSE, no Radios 1 to 4 on the EPG, no talkSport, no Tara TV, no S4C .... have I left anything out ?

Nope (but to you really want Talk****e?)

And while you're at it, let them know if you'd recommend their service to your friends or family. They'll be interested in that, given that they're spending thousands on advertising trying to convince subscribers to recommend their service to friends.

Ransom! A good idea Charles. Why did'nt we think of this earlier?? Tell them that you wont sign up a friend, that you wont recommend Sky until we get all the channels!

Nice change of tactic!

dmeehan

will someone post the relevant email addresses for sky, bbc, utv, ch4, ch5, ... etc.

im in the mood for preparing a mailshot!;)

go back a few pages in this thread-they're al there
mm

irishgeo

just an update on the fax i sent last friday. i was in college all week and i was checking the answer machine for the fax messages. there was one fax message when i got home but not from our "friends" at sky.

well just goes to show they dont care.

Damn just noticed my dish is out of alignment again!!!! and my other channels have been deleted.
must go and fix the dish and its blowing a gale and me with no torch to find astra 28.2E

Mossy Monk

UTV gave me the usual line about having to sort out some things before they can discuss carriage. with regard to ITV2, UTV gave me this address, info@itv.co.uk . Channel 5 told me they will never be on Sky in Ireland and no one in Ireland show Channel 5 (what about cable in Dungarvan ????). nothing yet from the BBC, Sky or Channel 4

Charles Slane

I have to say that I find Channel 5 hilarious !! They couldn't care less about being in Ireland, and they don't pretend to give a damn.

I have to say that it's kind of refreshing !

Meanwhile, back in Sky Customer Relations, the people who answer our e-mails are evilly plotting to convince their Irish subscribers that they really, really, really, care (no, really !!)

Here's the latest reply

"Dear Charles

Thank you for your email and please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.
With regard to your query on terrestrial channels being available in the Republic of Ireland. Please allow me to explain.

Sky's aim is to encourage all UK based and Irish terrestrial channels on to digital satellite and, as you are aware, BBC1 and BBC2 are now available to Sky customers in the Republic of Ireland.

I am happy to advise that RTE has announced that it's three channels will be joining Sky in April and that talks with others are continuing.

Sky is always willing to discuss carriage and, in fact, are already
discussing carriage with terrestrial broadcasters on availability and access to these channels for our customers in the Republic of Ireland. However, distribution of these channels is subject to commercial negotiation and the willingness of other broadcasters to be distributed on Sky.

I very much hope that I have clarified our position in this matter and thanks, once again, for contacting us. We always welcome customers' comments and actively encourage viewers' feedback.

Karen Hames

Viewer Relations"

So they're still predicting RTE's launch in April (which is encouraging), and I'm not sure if they've used the line "are already discussing carriage with terrestrial broadcasters on availability and access to these channels for our customers in the Republic of Ireland" before.

Is it new ?

PacMan

Its a very rainy Saturday afternoon here in Tipperary, so I deceided to re-read ALL the posts on this thread regarding the replies that contribitors have received from SKY/BBC/UTV.

Re-reading the posts, I have reached the following conclusions:

1) Broadcasters such as BBC, UTV, Channel 4 are blaming SKY

2) SKY are blaming, (You have guessed it) the broadcasters!

3) Sky feedback has been incorrect on several occasions. (A)It stated that the BBC radion stations WERE on the EPG. (B)They constantly give the UK Freephone number. Do they know that there is a dedicated 1800 freephone number for the ROI
(C) I read that they said that RTE was not in discussions with SKY about the RTE stations being made available. This was AFTER the RTE press release on this subject.

So what is going on??? WHo do we believe?? And most important what NEXT????? Where does our campaign go from here??


(I have sent many e-mails to SKY/BBC etc. As many of the replies were similiar or identical to the ones already posted, I did not post my replies on this thread, as it was or would have been repeating itself

Actually Pacman,
If you apply for and get the security job at Sky HQ.
You can let me in and I will flick a few switches and we'll all have the channels.
Bet they wouldn't even notice.
mm

ONireland

I'd add the Ministry of Aerials weight to this, but I'm for something absolutely more radical.

I want to see the end of pay TV in all forms. What do we get for pay TV - TV channels with more advertising on them than normal TV channels. It makes me wonder, "What's the point!"

Before Sky and BSB launched, TV in the UK has a happy, carefree place. The BBC, UTV and Channel 4 provided all you ever wanted. But then the evil Aussie came and unplugged our TVs! He forced us to subscribe to his channels to see our beloved Sci-Fi and Movies. I help out until there was a way not to directly fund his evil empire - digital terrestrial. But the fact remains, Murdoch has been let go too far.

The sad thing is that it's the fools of society that have caused us all this trouble. When Sky launched, society should have said "NO!". If we'd all decided we wouldn't pay for TV, we'd all get what we wanted from the non-pay channels. But there are always enough gulible to buy any product.

I'm not against the concept of pay-TV. It's only right that a company providing entertainment should make money. TV3 have the right slogan, that they are funded only by advertising. Based on that, pay-TV should be funded only by you paying for it, not on advertising.

Take "Carlton Cinema" - it's a small channel with a small audience. But it's a pay-TV channel with no advertising during it's films. It only advertises between the end of one film and the next. AND, it actually screens a lot of very good films. If a channel like "Carlton Cinema" can manage to operate without throwing an annoying "Domino's Pizzas" ad in our face every 5 minutes, then I think Mr Murdoch's channels could too!!

In conclusion, I'd pay for TV if it provided channels with no advertising. However, as pay-TV today has more advertising than non-pay TV, the only solution is to make all the pay-TV channel free!

And when I say all, I mean all! Pay Per View included!


If the American companies don't like it, tell them to go fup themselves!

chernobyl

Originally posted by ONireland


I want to see the end of pay TV in all forms. What do we get for pay TV - TV channels with more advertising on them than normal TV channels. It makes me wonder, "What's the point!"

Yeah...maybe you could reverse the pair a mirror glasses that you are wearing.
remember the eyes are the mirror of the soul and if you keep wearing those glasses the wrong way around, you will never see the world for what it is and not what you hope it to be.

apiou

Ah you see ONireland, if we just had to pay a one off price every year and no adds that is called Nirvana. But sorry it does not exist.

ONireland

Then how come Carlton Cinema manages to operate (with practically no advertising).

smoke.me.a.kipper

im planning to send e-mails to everyone concerned (again) raising the following issues. can you let me know if these are correct??

channels available to UK & Irish viewers but with no EPG placement in Ireland:

• BBC PARLIAMENT - has epg placement with card removed!!
• BBC RADIO 1 - available via add channels.
• BBC RADIO 2 - available via add channels.
• BBC RADIO 3 - available via add channels.
• BBC RADIO 4FM - available via add channels.

channels available to UK viewers but NOT available to Irish viewers but with EPG placement just to bait us:

• Tara
• S4C Digital
• TalkSport
• CBBC
• CBeebies

channels available to UK viewers but NOT available to Irish viewers and with no EPG placement in Ireland:

• ITV1 / UTV
• Channel 4
• Channel 5 - i know this will never happen over here
• BBC CHOICE
• ITV2
• BBC NEWS 24
• BBC KNOWLEDGE
• BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

if ive missed anything can you let me know

Charles Slane

TalkSport doesn't have an EPG placement, apart from that everything looks right to me.

Of course all the ITV regions were available via "Add Channels" until the b*****ds took them away from us last night.

E-mail ViewerR@bskyb.com and info@utv.co.uk (I think) to express your anger.

ShaneOC

I was just reading through the headlines on the ICDG main site and saw that there is a new Director of Sky in Ireland. He used to work for TV3 and is called Mark Deering. A bit of searching on the net and I found this address deering@sky.bskyb.com

Might be worth sending an email or two to him about our ever growing list of unavailable channels.

dmeehan

could some industrious person collect all these email addresses in one place, to make it easier for the rest of us..

PacMan

Great idea dmeehan... about the e-mail list.

The e-mail I sent to mark Deering just came "Bouncing" back.

Anyone else have contact details for Sky office in Dublin???

Charles Slane

Far be it from me to encourage anyone to be involved in an e-mail campaign, but dmeehan did ask, so here's the addresses we have so far -


To annoy RTE with e-mails about their (and TG4)'s supposedly imminent arrival on the Sky digital platform -

haydej@rte.ie
popeb@rte.ie (the tech area)

Although you'll probably get a quick response from TG4 themselves at -

linda.ni.ghriofa@tg4.ie


To really get TV3's goat with questions about their plans try -

info@tv3.ie


To cause apoplexy at the Beeb with queries about BBC3, BBC4, BBC News 24, CBeebies, CBBC and all the radio stations we can't get, email them at -

reception@bbc.co.uk

Meanwhile their buddies in BBC Worldwide (who did the deal to get BBC1 and 2 onto Sky in the first place) can be berated at -

bbcworldwide@bbc.co.uk


If you want to make the customer service people in Sky cry out "No more. Please !!" Ask them a few questions about any/all of your frustrations of being a second-class Sky subscriber at -

ViewerR@bskyb.com

Or try (if you want to make it onto the telly)

backchat@sky.com

There's also a whole heap of e-mail addresses for various executives in Sky, but having tried them all, only some work. The first one definitely works, the rest are pot luck -

tony.ball@bskyb.com

martin.stewart@bskyb.com - Chief Financial Officer
richard.freudenstein@bskyb.com - General Manager
ian.shepherd@bskyb.com - Marketing Director
geoff.walters@bskyb.com - Chief Technology Officer
elisabeth.murdoch@bskyb.com - Da Bosses Daughter
greg.houfe@bskyb.com - Head of Marketing Operations
tim.allan@bskyb.com - Director of Corporate Communications

Apparently this one is bouncing back -

deering@sky.bskyb.com

but it might really be -

mark.deering@sky.bskyb.com (It's worth a lash)


Finally our lovely northern cousins could do with some hassle about the whole "ITV blocked" horror, so send your pleading missive to -

info@utvplc.com

I think this covers just about everything so far.

Now fly my pretties ... fly !!!