ITV

Tag: Virgin Media

  • Voot, EROS Now part of UK’s first ever on-demand Asian TV apps pack by Virgin TV

    Voot, EROS Now part of UK’s first ever on-demand Asian TV apps pack by Virgin TV

    MUMBAI: Virgin TV has become the UK’s first ever Pay TV provider to add an on-demand library of films and shows through two Asian entertainment apps.

    The Desi App Pack, which Virgin TV customers can add to their package from Thursday 28th February 2019, brings together two of India’s biggest entertainment apps – Eros Now and Voot – into an easy to access apps pack that allows TV viewers to watch a range of shows and movies at a click of a button.

    There are multiple hours of content for viewers to watch which is available in more than 10 languages.

    Voot is home to exclusive original productions including It’s Not That Simple, Feet Up with the Stars and hit shows Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka amongst others and over 400 movies.

    Eros Now has a blockbuster library of more than 12,000 films including original productions such as Operation Cobra and Enaaya.

    Those who currently have Asian Mela TV as part of their subscription can add the service for just £6 per month. It is £12 per month for all other customers.

    Customers can add the service though their TV set box or over the phone. To access the Desi App Pack, customers will need a V6 box and go to channel 800 and press the red button on their remote.

    Over the past year Virgin TV has invested and bolstered its Asian TV offering with new channels and upgraded many standard definition channels to HD.

    David Bouchier, Chief Digital Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media, said: “We designed our V6 TV box to work seamlessly with on demand apps such as Netflix and to maximise the power of our fibre network for instantaneous access to the limitless programming available on demand. The addition of the Desi apps further strengthens our lead in the on demand viewing experience”

    Commenting on the integration deal, Rishika Lulla Singh, CEO – Eros Digital said: “With increasing consumption of cross border content and popularity of Indian films, we are excited to announce our collaboration with Virgin Media. Eros Now is the largest South Asian Video Service with close to 16M paid subscriber’s world over and the United Kingdom is one of our primary international markets. We are happy to cater to this growing community with best of Indian content and remain focused on expanding our global presence by exploring opportunities to connect with local audiences.”

    Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO & MD, Viacom18 said: “The UK consists of a vibrant Asian diaspora and is indeed one of our stronger overseas markets. Virgin TV’s Desi Apps pack is a winning proposition for all involved – consumers can now view the best of entertainment, on demand on VOOT, and it opens up an entire range of audiences for our content as well.”

  • Intelsat appoints Jacques Kerrest as CFO

    Intelsat appoints Jacques Kerrest as CFO

    MUMBAI: Intelsat S.A. has appointed Jacques Kerrest as executive vice president and chief financial officer.

     

    Kerrest will report to Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler and will be responsible for the leadership of Intelsat’s financial operations, including capital markets, accounting, treasury, financial planning, investor relations and corporate development.

     

    He will be a member of the company’s Management Committee and is expected to begin his duties on 1 February, 2016.

     

    Spengler said, “Jacques brings a wealth of experience to Intelsat. He has a strong track record of leading the finance organisations of large, complex and global corporations. His deep financial expertise in the telecom and media sectors will provide new perspectives within our management team. I have confidence that his financial acumen, corporate finance background and sector knowledge will play an instrumental role in shaping our financial priorities and in the attainment of our operational and long-term strategic goals.”

     

    Kerrest joins Intelsat from DPC Data Inc. where he served as president and led the company’s efforts in providing disclosure-related data products and specialised data services to the municipal bond marketplace in the United States. Prior to DPC Data, he was CFO and COO at ActivIdentity Corporation (known today as HID Global). Kerrest’s experience also includes CFO roles at Virgin Media, Equant, and Chancellor Broadcasting.

  • Intelsat appoints Jacques Kerrest as CFO

    Intelsat appoints Jacques Kerrest as CFO

    MUMBAI: Intelsat S.A. has appointed Jacques Kerrest as executive vice president and chief financial officer.

     

    Kerrest will report to Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler and will be responsible for the leadership of Intelsat’s financial operations, including capital markets, accounting, treasury, financial planning, investor relations and corporate development.

     

    He will be a member of the company’s Management Committee and is expected to begin his duties on 1 February, 2016.

     

    Spengler said, “Jacques brings a wealth of experience to Intelsat. He has a strong track record of leading the finance organisations of large, complex and global corporations. His deep financial expertise in the telecom and media sectors will provide new perspectives within our management team. I have confidence that his financial acumen, corporate finance background and sector knowledge will play an instrumental role in shaping our financial priorities and in the attainment of our operational and long-term strategic goals.”

     

    Kerrest joins Intelsat from DPC Data Inc. where he served as president and led the company’s efforts in providing disclosure-related data products and specialised data services to the municipal bond marketplace in the United States. Prior to DPC Data, he was CFO and COO at ActivIdentity Corporation (known today as HID Global). Kerrest’s experience also includes CFO roles at Virgin Media, Equant, and Chancellor Broadcasting.

  • Liberty-owned MSO Virgin Media to axe 900 jobs over 2 years

    Liberty-owned MSO Virgin Media to axe 900 jobs over 2 years

    MUMBAI: Liberty Global owned MSO Virgin Media is planning to axe as many as 900 jobs in the UK over the next two years.

     

    In this business reorganisation exercise, the company said it will now focus on network expansion. As a part of the restructuring, some employees will also be moved to other roles within the company.

     

    Virgin Media CEO Tom Mockridge “Over the last three years Virgin Media has been transformed. We’re expanding, investing and growing our business. The proposed reorganisation will give us an even sharper focus on the customer, network expansion and business growth.”

     

    Virgin Media, which is one of the UK’s biggest telecommunications brands, providing fixed and mobile telephone, TV, and broadband internet services, was bought by American tycoon John Malone’s Liberty Global in 2013 for ?15 billion.

  • Liberty-owned MSO Virgin Media to axe 900 jobs over 2 years

    Liberty-owned MSO Virgin Media to axe 900 jobs over 2 years

    MUMBAI: Liberty Global owned MSO Virgin Media is planning to axe as many as 900 jobs in the UK over the next two years.

     

    In this business reorganisation exercise, the company said it will now focus on network expansion. As a part of the restructuring, some employees will also be moved to other roles within the company.

     

    Virgin Media CEO Tom Mockridge “Over the last three years Virgin Media has been transformed. We’re expanding, investing and growing our business. The proposed reorganisation will give us an even sharper focus on the customer, network expansion and business growth.”

     

    Virgin Media, which is one of the UK’s biggest telecommunications brands, providing fixed and mobile telephone, TV, and broadband internet services, was bought by American tycoon John Malone’s Liberty Global in 2013 for ?15 billion.

  • Virgin Media reports lowest cable customer churn in Q3-2014

    Virgin Media reports lowest cable customer churn in Q3-2014

     BENGALURU:  Virgin Media Inc (Virgin Media), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Global plc (Liberty Global) and a leading cable operator in the United Kingdom (UK) reported lowest ever annual customer churn in Q3-2014 (Quarter  ended 30 September 2014), since Virgin Media was formed in 2007 at 14.9 per cent as compared to a churn of 15.3 per cent in Q3-2013. This churn record has contributed to cable customer growth more than doubling to 35,000, the highest quarterly customer additions since Q4 2012, says the company.

     

    Note: Currency mentioned in this report is ? or British Pound

     

    The company’s selected results for Q3-2014 say, ‘The number of subscribers to each of our cable products increased, with 88,000 organic RGUs (revenue generating units) added y-t-d (nine month period ended 30 September 2014 or 9M-2014) , including  70,000 in Q3, compared to declines of 16,000 and 7,000 in the respective prior year periods. This can be partially attributed to the successful launch of our “Big Bundles” in Q2 2014, which offer combinations of our cable products and resulted in the acquisition of more double- and triple-play customers than during the same period last year. Average Monthly Revenue per Customer Relationship increased 2 per cent to ? 48.98 year-over-year.’

     

    Virgin Media reported 2.3 per cent growth in revenue in Q3-2014 at ? 1046.8 million from ? 1022.8 million in Q3-2013. 9M-2014 revenue grew 1.7 per cent to ? 3145 million from ? 3092 million in 9M-2013.

     

    Four segments contribute to Virgin Media’s revenues – ‘Cable Subscription’, ‘Mobile Subscription’, ‘Business’ and ‘Other’

     

    Television subscription revenue in Q3-2014 fell 3.3 per cent to ? 234.7 million from ? 242.6 million in Q3-2013. Y-t-d, television subscription revenue fell 1.5 per cent to ? 717.9 million from ? 728.6 million in 9M-2013.

     

    Overall cable subscription revenue includes revenue from television, internet and telephony. Cable subscription revenue for the quarter grew 3 per cent to ? 724.5 million form ? 703.6 million in Q3-2013. Within cable subscription, internet revenue grew 19.8 per cent to ? 259.8 million in Q3-2014 from ? 216.9 million in Q3-2014. Telephony subscription revenue fell 5.8 per cent to ? 230 million in Q3-2014 from ? 244.1 million in Q3-2014.

     

    For 9M-2014, cable subscription revenue increased 3.3 per cent to ? 2188.9 million from ? 2119.0 million in 9M-2013. Internet revenue in 9M-2014 grew 16.2 per cent to ? 756.2 million from ? 650.7 million in 9M-2013. Telephony revenue for 9M-2014 fell 3.4 per cent to ? 714.8 million from ? 739.7 million in 9M-2013.

     

    Virgin Media says that it is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK. The Company’s cable network – the result of multi-billion pound private investment – delivers ultrafast broadband to over half of all U.K. homes, with speeds of up to 152 Mbps, as well as market-leading connectivity to thousands of public and private sector organisations across the country.

     

    Virgin Media says that it has developed UK’s most advanced interactive television service, and was the first to offer HD TV and access to connected services through the set-top box to millions of British households. It also launched the world’s first virtual mobile network and is one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.

  • Virgin TV anywhere launches on Android devices

    Virgin TV anywhere launches on Android devices

    MUMBAI: Virgin TV Anywhere recently launched a native app for Android tablets and smartphones.

     

    The application allows Virgin Media TiVo customers to programme on the move, with 67 channels available on mobile devices.

    To coincide with its Android launch, Virgin TV Anywhere has added nine new channels to its roster – Alibi, Dave, Drama, Good Food, Home, Really, Watch, Yesterday and CBS Reality.

     

    “With the arrival of these fantastic new channels, Virgin TV Anywhere is undoubtedly the market-leading service for those who want to take the best of their home entertainment with them to watch wherever they are at no extra cost,’ said Virgin Media director Scott Kewley in a report.

     

    The web-based version of Virgin TV Anywhere provides access to 90 channels, including BT Sport, ITV, Channel 5 and CBS Reality Premier Sport.

     

    Virgin TV Anywhere, which was previously released for iOS devices, is available to download from Google Play now.

  • Colors goes FTA in the UK; gears up for battle

    Colors goes FTA in the UK; gears up for battle

    MUMBAI: The battle to capture the eyeballs of the UK-based Indian TV channel viewer is about to get fiercer. The Viacom18 group’s flagship brand Colors has announced that it is going free to air in the UK from 2 September. Following this, all of Sky Digital and Virgin Media’s cable TV viewers will be able to receive the channel as a free service.

     

    Says Colors CEO Raj Nayak: “We are elated to offer two of our leading brands, Colors and Rishtey, to our viewers in the UK. With this move, we will be reaching out to a much wider audience base giving them an enriching viewing experience of our top class fiction and non-fiction programming”.

     

    Colors became a part of Multiscreen Media’s ViewAsia bouquet (available on Sky as an Asian pack for pound sterling 17.99) in 2010 and was a pay channel there. Over the past year, ViewAsia tenants such as Sab TV, Sahara one and Aaj Tak opted to go free, leaving Colors to give company to Sony Max, B4U Movies, Sony TV Asia and ARY digital on ViewAsia. Now Colors too has headed for the exit, leaving question marks over ViewAsia’s pricing structure.

     

    Points out IndiaCast group CEO Anuj Gandhi: “The UK continues to be one of our most important markets – where in the past we have challenged the status quo with the launch and success of Rishtey and now with Colors going free to air, we are making our next big move towards leadership.”

     

    Over the past three years, the Network18 group and Viacom18 have launched Colors, Rishtey and News 18 – the first international news channel covering India- in the UK with the Viacom-Network18 joint venture Indiacast. The network says, Colors is available in close to 75 countries and its content is distributed in over 100 countries.

     

    ” Over the last 12 months, we have had phenomenal success with Rishtey that has made us the strongest challenger in the market. With Colors going free to air, we will neutralize the undue distribution advantage that some of the other south Asian channels have enjoyed in the market, making it a level playing field and we are confident of being the leading south Asian network in the UK in the near future,” says Indiacast COO Gaurav Gandhi.

     

    Adds IndiaCast UK’s business head Govind Shahi: “As a growing network, we are thrilled to independently deliver a broader spectrum of high quality entertainment to the consumer – with path breaking dramas, round-the-clock news, movie premieres and all-time favourite international formats like Bigg Boss, India’s Got Talent and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Now with our channels reaching DTH homes in the UK, we are going to be the most potent and effective platform for the advertisers targeting South Asian homes.”

     

    Once it goes free to air, Colors will become a BARB rated channel in the UK. The latest BARB ratings for the week ended 11 August, show Star Plus is the leader in the UK market with 1.16 million viewers, UMP Movies is second with 994,000 viewers, Rishtey, third with 888,000 viewers, Zing – a part of the Zee Network – is at fourth with its best ever ratings of 621,000 viewers. At fifth place is Star Gold with 580,000 viewers. Sony SAB TV follows with 573,000 viewers. At seventh spot is Star Life Ok with 440,000 viewers.

     

    Cumulatively, the Star Network channels account for 2 plus million viewers in the UK – a stranglehold that the Netowrk18 group will be hard-pressed to try and break. But knowing the IndiaCast, Network18 and Viacom18, teams, well, they love a good joust. Get ready for a good fight!

  • Virgin Media goes for gold with Glasgow 2014

    Virgin Media goes for gold with Glasgow 2014

    MUMBAI: UK communications and entertainment company Virgin Media has been unveiled as the newest partner of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

    The company will also further support the Games as presenting partner of Athletics, which will be most evident during competition.

    The Games will take place in Glasgow from 23 July to 3 August 2014 and will feature 6,500 athletes and officials from across the Commonwealth. They will compete in the largest sporting and cultural event to happen in Scotland in a generation.

    Over one million people are expected to attend 11 days of world class competition, with up to 15,000 volunteers showcasing the best the city has to offer.

    Virgin Media CMO Jeff Dodds said, “Glasgow 2014 will bring together the greatest athletes from across the Commonwealth for one of the biggest sporting events ever to take place in Scotland.

    “With our Home Nation heroes and international superstars, we‘re getting behind Glasgow and can‘t wait to build on an amazing track record of success.”

    Glasgow 2014 chairman Lord Smith of Kelvin said, “We are delighted to welcome Virgin Media into the Glasgow 2014 sponsor family and we are hugely excited to be working with such a fantastic partner. Virgin Media is a highly regarded company and has such a strong presence here in Scotland.

    “We look forward to collaborating with Virgin Media, its customers and staff in developing some exciting engagement and activation opportunities over the coming months, which will really bring the partnership to life.”

    Commonwealth Games minister Shona Robison said, “As one of the UK‘s biggest communications and entertainment companies, Virgin Media‘s sponsorship of Glasgow 2014 is welcome and will help make next year‘s Games world class.”

    Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Michael Cavanagh said, “We are delighted that Virgin Media has come on board to support Glasgow 2014 and Team Scotland. Our track and field athletes are showing great early season form as they strive for selection and I know just how much they are looking forward to competing at Hampden which is such an iconic venue for Scots. The athletics competition will be world class and it is fantastic that Virgin Media are going to be the presenting partner.”

    As an official partner and presenting partner of athletics for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Virgin Media will help promote the Games in the company‘s marketing and communications and will have a strong Games time brand presence.

  • Zing and Zee Cafe now available for Virgin Media

    Zing and Zee Cafe now available for Virgin Media

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has branched out to UK wide audiences with the debut of two more of its channels, Zing and Zee Café, on Virgin Media.

    With local shows, Bollywood entertainment, Hollywood insights, movies, music, drama, reality shows and more, Zing covers a novel blend of programmes that make it exclusive in the British Asian space.
     
    The channel will target its audience across various platforms, including millions of Virgin Media homes, Sky, Freesat, Yamgo Mobile, TouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

    Virgin Media audience will now be able to view the UK‘s first ever British Asian drama Cloud 9 on Zing, Monday to Friday 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm. Setting a record in the South Asian entertainment space, Cloud 9 is an English drama series. Zing will now be available on channel 813.

    Zee Cafe will be available to watch on Channel 811 with a mix of entertainment for everyone, including soaps, historic dramas, mythology, news, lifestyle, horror, cookery, movies and business.

    Both channels will be making quality content available to Virgin Media‘s pay TV subscribers and will be an addition to Zee‘s subscription channels already on Virgin Media‘s Asian Mela Pack which include: Zee TV, Zee Cinema and Zee Punjabi.