Virgin Media gets Sky channels back

Programming to finally return to cable platform

4 November 2008 15:06 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Sky and Virgin Media have announced that, following successful negotiations that Pocket-lint reported on, they have agreed two new channel carriage deals.

The first agreement will see the return, on 13 November, of Sky's Basic channels - including Sky1, Sky2, Sky3, Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sky Arts 1, Sky Arts 2, Sky Real Lives and Sky Real Lives 2 - to Virgin Media's cable TV service.

The second agreement provides for the continued carriage of Virgin Media TV's basic channels – Living, Living 2, Bravo, Bravo 2, Trouble, Challenge and Virgin 1 – as part of Sky's retailed channel line-up on satellite. Both deals will run concurrently until 12 June 2011.

Virgin Media's CEO, Neil Berkett, said: "We are pleased to bring our carriage negotiations with Sky to a successful close. I believe this agreement represents a fair deal and is the right thing for our customers. We recognise the quality and popularity of Sky's channels and look forward to welcoming them back to Virgin Media's TV service. We are also pleased to secure Sky's continued carriage of the VMTV channels until June 2011".

Jeremy Darroch, Sky's CEO, adds: "This is great news for Sky and Virgin Media customers alike. We want our channels to be enjoyed by as many people as possible so we're delighted to secure their return to the Virgin Media platform".

As part of the agreements, both Sky and Virgin Media have agreed to terminate all High Court proceedings against each other relating to this matter and their public falling out back in 2007.


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Comments

  • At last an agreement to give Virgin viewers back what they should never have lost, does it mean another price increase? Posted by ALYS GREGORY, UK
  • All Virgin need to do now is to get the HD programs on too. Posted by Simon, UK
  • I WOULD LIKE TO SEE VIRGIN MEDIA ALSO SECURE RIGHTS TO SHOW FOOTBALL ON SKY SPORTS BY HITTING THE RED BUTTON I.E CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ETC Posted by IAN, SCOTLAND
  • GREAT NEWS THAT I WILL NOW BE ABLE TO WATCH MY FAV PROGRAMMES PRISON BREAK, LOST BUT WILL WE BE ABLE TO CATCH UP ON THE LAST SERIES OF LOST AND PRISON BREAK COS SINCE THE FALL OUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THEM PROBABLY SAME FOR OTHER LOST/PRISON BREAK FANS Posted by SUE ROBERTS, UK
  • about time too

    now lets talk about hd maybee they will come soon
    i just might stay with virgin media if they can get then
    Posted by jon, england
  • Sue

    I've been downloading them online this series. I think this series is good but not as good as the last one.
    Posted by Lee Dailly, Scotland
  • Just found out today that Sky is back on Virgimedia as of Thursday......fantastic news!...Could not have come at a better time as I was thinking about changing to Sky for Christmas



    Dave Smith Scotland
    Posted by D.Smith, Scotland
  • I don't really care that much, although Sky News is by far the best news channel. Posted by Dyle Do, UK
  • thank god for that perhaps there will be more variety instead off repeats all the time only time will tell ,being a pensioner I really on cable so i welcome them back with bated breath thankyou
    jean haris
    Posted by jeanharris, england
  • I don't want Sky channels back on Virgin- never watched or liked them before!!!
    I cannot get them blocked by Virgin, so have put a lock on the channels so I won't access them.
    Posted by Duncan Campbell, United Kingdom
  • fatastic news,was missing programmes such as ross kemp on gangs. Posted by leon saunds., united kingdom
  • Brilliant.just found out today and my daughter will love the fact she can watch the simpsons again,apart from the one episode on ch 4.i'll also be able to watch the lion man as i normally go round my mams to watch it.cant wait!! Posted by claire mcdonald, uk
  • YEAH!! Simpsons back on Virgin!! Posted by Dave H , UK
  • thank god it s back but dissapointed it was taking of in the first place as i have missed a few series of lost Posted by sharon w, newcastle
  • Thank God about time the only shows I ever watch on Sky though is Malocolm In The Middle and Battlestar Galactica the rest really dont interest me but have to say I like the Virgin 1 channel for the likes of Chuck and the Sarah Connor Chronicals, now I'm sticking with Virgin Media they are giving me a better deal than what BT and Sky can give me, plus atleats if the equipment goes wrong I know Virgin will always come out and fix it for free unlike Sky, who charge a fourtne to just come out and look at the box. Thanks Richard Branson great job. Posted by Martin M, UK
  • Simpsons and Futurama are back woop woop, richard branson is a god Posted by slat3r, England
  • It's geat news that Virgin have finally got back Sky 1 and Sky News etc. I have just moved from Sky to Virgin for this reason, as Sky cannot compete with the broadband speeds. The only thing that I find to be a downside now is the lack of High Definition channels available on Virgin. If they could add more HD content, then more people would switch to Virgin. After all, the V+ box is designed for HD channels, and BBC HD is just not enough. Hopefully we can have Sky 1 HD and National Geographic HD, as well as HD films included in the film package. Posted by Mark Holding, UK
  • i used to listen to and watch classic fm/tv a lot, then suddenly it disappeared.
    i understand the equevilent programme on sky is (o music) will this be coming back to virgin too?, ihope so.
    Posted by steve medway, united kingdom

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