ITV & RTE to charge Virgin and Sky to carry their content

[Scubbie]

Both ITV and RTE are looking to charge Virgin Media and Sky to carry their content in their respective EPGs. Currently both VM and Sky are not intending to pay and both ITV and RTE could find themselves removed from the respective EPGs.

ITV to levy £140m+ on Virgin Media and Sky to air its main channel | The Drum

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2017...n-to-drop-rte/

ITV wishes to charge Sky £140m per year to carry the ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, ITV Encore, ITV Be, ITV Box Office & CITV in their respective local, national, SD, HD and +1 variants. If this were to go ahead, it could easily add an extra £1 per month to Sky’s subscription fees. Additionally JML Direct and Jackpot247 could also be affected.

Considering that most of the ITV channels are available via Freeview and Freesat and that there appear to be no plans to remove ITV from those respective EPGs, this seems a little harsh.

As for RTE, it is claimed that 40% of Ireland gets their content via Sky and VM. If RTE were to be pulled, then it would reduce their potential advertising revenue very promptly.

[BurnIT]

That seems a very strange decision since they rely very heavily on advertising revenue and companies are going to withdraw their adverts if they are not going to be seen by as many people.

[Scubbie]

I believe this argument is derived from the US method.

[Angel_Rex]

I believe this argument is derived from the US method.

Clearly calling a bluff?

I personally do not watch ITV and could quite easily change to the built in TV EPG to watch it, or watch it off the TV app, should the need arise.

[Scubbie]

How about this as a proposal...

Instead of paying the TV licence, everyone is given the option to watch the BBC, ITV, Ch4 and Ch5 channels. You can pay for the group you wish to view.

[lettice]

Sign me up for no license fee.
I think I might opt to pay for just ITV as I do like their sport content.

[seawright]

Sign me up for no license fee.

It won't happen but if the BBC are charging Sky to enable me to watch to watch BBC programmes via Sky then formalise the arrangement so that Sky collect my TV Licence fee as part of my Sky subscription.

Of course the channels would no longer be able to be free to air.