Top Up TV, will it survive past 2013?

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 867
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    Then Premier Sports and TUTV would have fitted well together and it might have kept things going for a while longer.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    The Wholesale price of Sky Sports 1 & 2 is £19.41.

    That is probably 'plus VAT', and what ever happened to that price reduction that was ordered by Ofcom?


    Not that it matters, Sky can simply move 1 and 2 stuff to the red button and/or 3 and 4.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    That is probably 'plus VAT', and what ever happened to that price reduction that was ordered by Ofcom?


    Not that it matters, Sky can simply move 1 and 2 stuff to the red button and/or 3 and 4.

    They cant move stuff its part of the agreement with Ofcom (yes they figured Sky could be sneaky and out foxed them)

    The Wholsale price changes went to the CAT and Ofcom lost. There may still be an appeals process but im not sure what's happening with that?

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/aug/08/bskyb-sky-sports
  • MJH1962MJH1962 Posts: 184
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    Then Premier Sports and TUTV would have fitted well together and it might have kept things going for a while longer.

    I like your blind optimism! I know TUTV had only a small number of Sky Sports subsribers, but I could not see many banging on the door to watch non-league football and Australian Rugby League!!
  • MeMeMeIMeMeMeI Posts: 990
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    Now what TUTV needs is Female beach Volley Ball


    Lingerie Football League
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfkKjATCu4E

    Topless Darts and Lingerie Chess..:rolleyes:

    Might save them for a while:o;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 206
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    MJH1962 wrote: »
    I like your blind optimism! I know TUTV had only a small number of Sky Sports subscribers, but I could not see many banging on the door to watch non-league football and Australian Rugby League!!

    I think Mike is referring to Premier Sports being suitable for Top Up TV because it is a niche product. It would be ideal for DTT because it is a stand-alone channel in the mould of ESPN.

    Rugby League is a popular sport in the U.K., especially on the M62 corridor.

    A NRL game (Australian League) is probably the equivalent of watching a European domestic league soccer match (e.g. Budesliga or La Liga) to rugby league fans.

    The Rugby League World Cup is due to be played in the U.K. in October / November this year www.rlwc2013.com - Premier Sports has won the rights to show all the matches live (the BBC will also be covering some live games too), so I think there is a reasonably good opportunity to sell a healthy number of new subscriptions in the run up to these matches.

    In terms of non-league soccer, the subscription market will probably expand for these games too, since The Football League is considering a three up / down promotion system, which will mean more vital / important fixtures being played throughout the season.
  • VisionMan1VisionMan1 Posts: 2,111
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    Shine On wrote: »
    In terms of non-league soccer, the subscription market will probably expand for these games too, since The Football League is considering a three up / down promotion system, which will mean more vital / important fixtures being played throughout the season.

    Didn't you see Premier Sport's previous reference to BT in regard to the football?
    From Premier Sports' Facebook page:
    "Any chance of negotiating a deal with Top Up TV to broadcast Premier Sports on the DTT platform now ESPN is ceasing at the end of July? Thanks!"
    "Premier Sports: That is for BT I guess. Top Up TV drive very onerous margins is all I know and is the reason most sub[scription] channels won't touch."

    Not sure why they mentioned BT there, but interesting to hear their angle on TopUp TV.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 206
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    VisionMan1 wrote: »
    Didn't you see Premier Sport's previous reference to BT in regard to the football?

    Yes, I did. However, the discussion is essentially about niche market subscriptions, not mass-market roll-outs. Mike was suggesting in his earlier post that via the DTT platform, Premier Sports could have the potential to attract quite a few new subscribers given the nature of the sports it offers. That idea appeared to be rubbished because Premier Sports show 'obscure' things like Australian Rugby League & non-League soccer. I was trying to point out that Rugby League has more appeal than many realise (especially here in the North - a niche market) and that non-League soccer is set to expand as a competition in the next few seasons too.
  • MJH1962MJH1962 Posts: 184
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    Shine On wrote: »
    Yes, I did. However, the discussion is essentially about niche market subscriptions, not mass-market roll-outs. Mike was suggesting in his earlier post that via the DTT platform, Premier Sports could have the potential to attract quite a few new subscribers given the nature of the sports it offers. That idea appeared to be rubbished because Premier Sports show 'obscure' things like Australian Rugby League & non-League soccer. I was trying to point out that Rugby League has more appeal than many realise (especially here in the North - a niche market) and that non-League soccer is set to expand as a competition in the next few seasons too.

    Quite simply, a niche TV service offering a niche sports channel on DTT is commercial suicide. I agree NRL is good quality rugby League, better than our own Super League, however, it does not command significant interest in the UK.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    A few is the word.
    The wiki says the estimate is 6,500 current subscribers.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 867
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    In my defence I was only using the idea that both where niche markets so fitted in that sense I'm no sports fan so didn't know the service was so specialist in it's content.

    Anyway with the death toll peeling TUTV is on the way out so that will make all the doom sayers happy.
  • stuntmasterstuntmaster Posts: 5,070
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    In my defence I was only using the idea that both where niche markets so fitted in that sense I'm no sports fan so didn't know the service was so specialist in it's content.

    Anyway with the death toll peeling TUTV is on the way out so that will make all the doom sayers happy.

    agreed. they hated it from day one. "it's stealing freeview space" and "freeview should be free" oh the countless thread where it was stopping X channel from launching.

    shame. it's linear service was great. imagine if it was still here now. you'd have gotten SS1,SS2, and ESPN. a worthy little package. Then perhaps they could have entered into IPTV.

    Going down the anytime route wasn't bad but its died because of internet VOD offerings from BT, SKY, and VM have all killed it off.

    Here have some spinnin' logo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nAQeUjac0g
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    No problem :)

    In a nutshell. We are closing please subscribe to Sky instead :eek:

    Definitely closing, but wonder why they don't just say so?
  • MeMeMeIMeMeMeI Posts: 990
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    Could the intention by Ofcom to allow more Freeview space in the white space region between 2014-2018 be a game changer/saver for TUTV, why have they not seen if they could get more broadcast space there?:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 348
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    MeMeMeI wrote: »
    Could the intention by Ofcom to allow more Freeview space in the white space region between 2014-2018 be a game changer/saver for TUTV, why have they not seen if they could get more broadcast space there?:

    hahahahahaha

    in a word, no.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    Channel 5 are launching a new channel (5 Later) LCN 55. Wonder where they will be getting the capacity?!
  • chrisychrisy Posts: 9,418
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    Channel 5 are launching a new channel (5 Later) LCN 55. Wonder where they will be getting the capacity?!

    Almost certainly from the ex-ESPN stream. Whether they just take over the ex-ESPN part of it. or also use some/all of TUTV's other channels on there, is anybody's guess.

    GOLD and Home must be prime candidates for removal (or at least moving) - I find it very confusing that the ESPN stream starts at different times depending on what day it is, and I'd expect C5 to want broadcast hours that don't change at the drop of a hat (I'm surprised ESPN put up with it).
  • jj20xjj20x Posts: 2,079
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    chrisy wrote: »
    I find it very confusing that the ESPN stream starts at different times depending on what day it is, and I'd expect C5 to want broadcast hours that don't change at the drop of a hat (I'm surprised ESPN put up with it).

    I don't think it was really a matter of them putting up with it. If I remember correctly, ESPN just expanded into certain timeslots as they were vacated by "Anytime1", with the exception of the 7-11am slot which became "Marketplace".
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    chrisy wrote: »
    Almost certainly from the ex-ESPN stream. Whether they just take over the ex-ESPN part of it. or also use some/all of TUTV's other channels on there, is anybody's guess.

    GOLD and Home must be prime candidates for removal (or at least moving) - I find it very confusing that the ESPN stream starts at different times depending on what day it is, and I'd expect C5 to want broadcast hours that don't change at the drop of a hat (I'm surprised ESPN put up with it).

    By ex - ESPN stream do you mean BT Sports barker channel on LCN 57?
  • Ray CathodeRay Cathode Posts: 13,231
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    chrisy wrote: »
    I find it very confusing that the ESPN stream starts at different times depending on what day it is, and I'd expect C5 to want broadcast hours that don't change at the drop of a hat (I'm surprised ESPN put up with it).

    ESPN (or Setanta) asked for the extra hours at weekends so they could a) cover footie 1200 KOs and b) cover US sports on Saturday nights without getting cut off before the end.

    I agree with you and expect the entire ESPN/Gold/Home/Marketplace/Anytime 1 steam to revert to Channel 5 shortly.

    I would have thought UKTV will try and retain LCN26. They could do a +1 in Yesterday's or Really's streams especially as Yesterday+1 has a licence.
  • jj20xjj20x Posts: 2,079
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    I would have thought UKTV will try and retain LCN26. They could do a +1 in Yesterday's or Really's streams especially as Yesterday+1 has a licence.

    Yesterday +1 probably, as Really doesn't have a timeshift channel on any platform at the moment.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    This article: http://www.a516digital.com/2013/08/5later-appears-on-freeview.html claims that Channel 5 will take capacity from Top Up TV for 5 Later.
  • chrisychrisy Posts: 9,418
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    By ex - ESPN stream do you mean BT Sports barker channel on LCN 57?

    Yes - it's the same stream.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    chrisy wrote: »
    Yes - it's the same stream.

    Thanks :) That's what I thought.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 867
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    Not sure if anyone else with TV Favourites have noticed this but since Saturday 17/08/13 there have been no new downloads for National Geographic Channel! Anyone know when the contract with this provider expires?

    Up to Friday 16/08/13 a new programme was listed daily right up to Friday 30/08/13 on Saturdaywhen the guide updated nothing. The programme listed for Saturday Attack of the Big Cats was just the TopUp TV Anytime 1 screen going round and round for 46 mins.

    The website's what's on section factual programmes lists new shows right up until the end of the first week in September.

    I know the service is on the way out but I had hoped that things might have kept going with no loss of content until TUTV folded. I'm rather ticked off as the programmes seemed rather interesting and a change from prison break and air crash programmes that have been the main stay for a while on National Geographic.

    And of course there isn't any point contacting customer service as either they won't know or aren't allowed to say anything. I had hoped that it was just one of those things and the guide would update on Monday with new National Geographic content but no joy.

    This download fills Anytime 1 Monday to Saturday and Anytime 5 Sunday at 04:01-04:47 and then is followed at 6:00 by History Channel which appears to be still be running upto Friday 30/08/13 during the weekday slot so it's not as if it's been taken back for any useful purpose. What use is an hour slot at 4 am?
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