Cork's Evening Echo: Article

Leesider

The following is an article printed in Cork's popular evening paper, 'The Echo' last night. It features a photo of a disgruntled pensioner holding a Sky remote control, with the following text:


Why Sky Digital Is A Turn-Off For Me

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A Sky television subscriber is claiming TV fans in Ireland are getting poor value for money compared with viewers of the digital channel in Britain.

John Slattery, from Albert Road in Cork, claimed UTV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Tara, the satellite channel which carries RTE programmes, have been scrapped from the Sky digital service.

"When I got the original brochure it said that Channel 4, Channel 5, UTV and BBC1 and 2 would be included in the Sky package. We had Tara for a while, but that's been cut off. UTV was on for two or three weeks but it was stopped. However, we do have BBC1 and BBC2".

All the terrestrial home stations are received from a separate aerial.

Mr. Slattery is angry that Irish subscribers are paying €26.99 per month - the same as British customers.

"We are paying the same as British viewers, but we are not getting the same number of stations. It's the important ones that are missing. Since the introduction of the Euro, our fees went up €5 or €6".

The Liverpool fan is disappointed because he cannot view his favourite team playing in Europe.

Sky spokesman Robert Frazer said they had to drop UTV as the station had started encryting its signal.

"Sky would like UTV to be available to viewers in the Republic of Ireland", he said.

Talks are also taking place with British terrestrial station Channel 5 to broadcast the station. Tara television is also no longer available on satellite in Ireland.

"Its objective is to bring the best of Irish television to viewers outside Ireland", said the Sky spokesman.

Recently Montrose and Sky signed a deal which will allow all RTE's stations to be broadcast on Sky Digital.

"UTV has never been part of our package, it's a free service. It's not part of one of our packages".

Mr. Frazer maintained that UTV, BBC 1 and 2, Channels 4 and 5, were not part of the €26.99 monthly charge. The fee is for specific programmes such as Sky 1, Granada Plus, Sky News and National Geographic. No charge is levied for over 70 free stations, which include BBC channels.

One of the problems to overcome is that various TV stations only have the right to show programmes in a particular country, he said.
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Who is this Mr. Frazer?? BBC1 and 2 are free?? Talks with C5??
Bear in mind that the Echo has a circulation of 30,000+, so this is bound to add even further confusion for people.

chernobyl

Getting the UK Terrestrials such as BBC1/2 is an added and free bonus for Irish customers, we dont pay any lisence fee and yet we get them, this price is included in NTL/Chorus billing.

As for channels disappearing such as Tara, this is (1)not a Sky issue, RTE said make the channel "CA" for only British Viewing cards and (2) if you read your contract like this old fool did not, channels are subject to change at any time and thats the deal you get.

Getting the UK Terrestrials such as BBC1/2 is an added and free bonus for Irish customers, we dont pay any lisence fee and yet we get them, this price is included in NTL/Chorus billing.

That statement contradicts itself and therefore is nonsense.

Firstly we all got a letter last year from Sky telling us that our subscriptions were rising in 2002 due to the adding of extra channels ,BBC one and two were given as an example.
Secondly all the cable companies are paying Royalties to both BBC,ITV and channel four for re-broadcasting them.This deal was done a number of years ago and the cost of it is included in NTL subscriptions.
So in neither case are Irish customers getting an "added and free bonus" of these channels.

if you read your contract like this old fool did not, channels are subject to change at any time and thats the deal you get.

That is true but it's not an argument against saying that their is discrimination here against Irish Sky customers.

The reason for not having these channels is simple-money
And thats leading to arguments over "rights" and over how much Sky want for carriage etc-so blame on all sides.

Why don't Sky conduct a survey amongst it's customers as to how much they would like to offer as a subscription rise for these channels.
mm

byte

It's interesting that they mentioned Channel 5. It's the first I have heard C5 in negotiations with Sky. That would be a nice addition (on top of all BBC digital channels, UTV and C4):rolleyes:

Mossy Monk

Sky are in talks with Channel 5? that is a surprise. some decent late night sports programming would be very welcome but as Leesider has asked, who is Mr. Frazer?

DMC

The mad Scot undertaker in Dad's Army??