[Media Boy]

Keep up-to-date on upcoming channel launches and other important events across the two platforms of Virgin TV - update

Updated every Three or Four weeks

Coming up -

March
The Jazz is to closed on Virgin Channel 961 on the 28th or 31st.

April
8/10th. BBC hope to have their iPlayer on Virgin Media by this date.
18th. Indian Premier League [ of cricket ] starts live only on Setanta Sports.
By the end of this month: Five Life is to be renamed 'Fiver'.
By the end of this month: Planet Rock may closed on Virgin Channel 924.
Some channels may start on Ex-ntl, Ex-Telewest or both this month.

May
New look 4oD starts on Virgin Media.

April/May
VMTV is rumoured to be going widescreen.

June/July/August
BBC Scotland is to start BBC Gaelic on Virgin Media ( only in Scotland ).

By July 1st
STAR hope to have STAR One and maybe STAR Gold on Virgin Media by this date [NOTE: An deal have still to be signed so it may not happen. ]

Channels that will appear soon on Virgin Media [ Been Confirmed by the Broadcaster, BARB or by Virgin Media. ]
Nuts TV
Pop Girl
Channel 4 HD
JJB Sports TV - now testing on some NTL Boxes

Will happen before 2009
Virgin plan to remove all the Ex-ntl or Ex-Telewest channels so that Virgin Viewers can have the same lineup.

The following channels are rumoured to be coming to Virgin TV this year.
The National Geographic Channel +1, Motors TV, BBC TV Local Channels & The History Channel +1 all may start on Ex-Telewest.

Playhouse Disney +, DMAX +1, True Movies 2, AnimeCentral, Cartoonito, TCM2, ESPN Classic, Bubble Hits, Al Jazeera English, ARY QTV and The Musik all may start on Virgin Media.

Other news
Virgin are rumoured to be set to sell they Virgin Television Channels ( Living and Bravo and so on ).
ITV are rumoured to be in talks with Virgin Media over they ITV1 HD Channel coming to Virgin TV soon [ We may get ITV on Demand, ITV2 +1 and ITV3 +1 as part of the deal ].
Five are rumoured to be in talks with Virgin Media over they Five on Demand coming to Virgin TV soon [ We may get Five Life +1 and Five US +1 as part of the deal ].
The Hits TV is to be rebranded to 4Music later in 2008.
NASN is to be rebranded in 2008.
Virgin Media is hoping to launch up to FIVE linear HD channels in 2008.
Virgin are rumoured to be in talks with Sky over their Basic channels coming back.
Motors TV are says to be 'currently finalizing the renegotiation of they contract' with Virgin Media
No news in months: Film 24 and Chello Zone are also rumoured to be in talks with Virgin.

The list of Channels THAT Virgin Media have worked on this month

Channels renamed/Move EPG:
Sorry, no new channels this month...

New Channels added:
542. Arsenal TV

Channels removed from Virgin TV
Sorry, no new channels this month...

New channels that are now testing on some Virgin Media boxes.
JJB Sports TV ( Ex-ntl only )

Virgin Media have still to move the following Ex-Telewest channels to match with EPG in Ex-ntl: areas.

TBA
Television X moves from 473 to On Demand
Playboy TV Nightly moves from 475 to On Demand
The Adult Channel Nightly moves from 477 to On Demand
Spice Extreme Nightly moves from 478 to On Demand
Red Hot Just 18 moves from 480 to On Demand
Red Hot Asians moves from 482 to On Demand
Red Hot Amateur moves from 483 to On Demand
Xplicit XXX Nightly moves from 484 to On Demand

Virgin still have to sign deals for the following ex-NTL channels to appear on the ex-Telewest Network

EPG Channel Name
231. The National Geographic Channel +1
235. The History Channel +1
545. Motors TV
811. Zee Music
812. Alpha ETC Punjabi
833. Phoenix CNE
861. BBC One England
862. BBC One Scotland
863. BBC One Northern Ireland
864. BBC One Wales
865. BBC Two England
928. Radio: Magic*
929. Radio: Q*
930. Radio: BBC Radio Scotland
931. Radio: BBC Radio Wales
932. Radio: BBC Radio Ulster
934. Radio: BBC Radio nan Gaidheal
936. Radio: BBC Radio Cymru
962. Radio: The Hits*
963. Radio: Kiss 100*
964. Radio: Kerrang!*
966. Radio: Smash Hits!*

NOTE: * = EMap Radio channels: ( Magic, Q, The Hits, Kiss 100, Kerrang!, Smash Hits! ) have all been sold to H Bauer SO Virgin need to sign an new deal to carry on getting them.

Virgin still have to sign deals for the following ex-Telewest channels to appear on the ex-NTL Network

EPG Channel Name
830. Deutsche Welle TV
911. Radio: BBC Radio 4 LW
917. Radio: RTE Radio 1
920. Radio: WRN Europe
971. Radio: Deutsche Welle Radio

TV Boy Thinks: Virgin will keep Bauer Radio Channels, BBC TV and Radio Channels, Nat Geo +1, Motors TV, History channel +1 and ZEE channels and drop the rest.

I know that some radio channels are on Ex-Telewest in some parts of the UK and they will stay but will need to move all the BBC Radio channels that are only on NTL to new channels numbers so that all the Virgin Networks [ Ex-ntl and Ex-Telewest ] viewers can have them.

And now for me to say thanks to the following regular contributors of this thread who give me some of my Information.

They are:- harmitage, grabbi, JG3870, Jasmeet, buba3d, sakiblateef and Bob.