BSkyB decided to remove Rapture TV from their EPG.

[Kellargh]

HAHAH I don't even know what shows on Rapture TV, probably rubbish anyway...

[themelon]

Originally Posted by andygrif

I agree...and have thought so for many years. However such a move would need to take into account niche channels that serve a real public interest albiet with tiny minority audiences...so just allowing programme providers to supply channels direct to consumers on a cherry-picked basis would mean that viewer choice would suffer rather than be enhanced.

However if I could buy my Flextech channels from Virgin (over the satellite) and my Sky channels from Sky, I could make an informed decision as to whether I wanted to watch them or not.



To be fair, Sky's platform is open if you meet two criteria:

1/ You're not broadcasting anything that infringes UK Broadcasting Laws.
2/ You pass the credit check and stump up the EPG fees, which are publicly available.

Sky are not in a position to editorially control any channel from a third party and everyone pays the same fees. If I had the cash, I could put a channel on Sky tomorrow, and there's nothing they could do about it.

The best example as to how open the platform is, would be to point out that until Virgin Media came into being, ntl had two channels promoting their wares on the Sky platform. If Sky wanted to operate a closed shop, those channels would not have been there.



No it isn't. I used to work for a company that provided channels to cable companies all over Europe and you had to negotiate rates with every company and if they didn't want your channels (and I am specifically talking about ntl now as was) they would make excuses about space, the prices would be ludicrous and inevetably no deal would be done.

If they wanted your channel, you'd find the ride a lot easier, but if they didn't then you would not get on. They were effectively acting as editoral control over the channel packages they offered - which is fine, but it's not an open shop.

By comparison, Sky's platform was available to anyone and you paid the same amount as others to be on there....a fact bourne out by the hundreds of channels of drivel on Sky, which are not available on cable.

But why should anyone have to pay Sky for an EPG Place, people should be able to broadcast on Satellite and have an EPG Slot without having to pay a penny for to Rupert.

If Satellite was a truely open platform, I could set up my 2 bit TV company with a video camera and somebody willing to uplink it and have EPG Number 555 if it was available, but why should I have to pay £££ to Sky the EPG number should be controlled by a regulator or such like, a provider should not be able to make a profit out of allocating somebody a channel number.

If the BBC/ITV Freesat Idea takes off I hope that a more transparent EPG system come into place. Sky will also need to issue NDS Cams so that people are not forced to use their Digiboxes or allow their installers into their homes. Then we may have an open system.

Currently it is not open.

Channel providers can purchase a wholesale channel package on cable, just no-one has chosen to do so.......possibly not an attractive deal?!? Its the same as Wholesale Broadband over cable it is available if people are willing to pay only AOL have done so far. The charges are probably quite high.

Trouble is Sky dont actually own their Satellites or much of the uplink equipment, wheras Cable own and have paid for all of their network. So realistically the cost of EPG Slots and Wholesale space on cable will quite rightly be higher. If Sky buy their own Satellite like BSB did then people would have less of a claim for anything to be shown on Sky without them charging.

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by themelon

But why should anyone have to pay Sky for an EPG Place, people should be able to broadcast on Satellite and have an EPG Slot without having to pay a penny for to Rupert.

Becuase it's their platform, they paid for the development of it and they transmit the data for it.

Originally Posted by themelon

If Satellite was a truely open platform, I could set up my 2 bit TV company with a video camera and somebody willing to uplink it and have EPG Number 555 if it was available, but why should I have to pay £££ to Sky the EPG number should be controlled by a regulator or such like, a provider should not be able to make a profit out of allocating somebody a channel number.

I'll use the Road Tax example again; you're free to use the open roads as much as you like, you can even build your own car and use that as long as it meets the legal requirements to do so....but until you pay the Road Tax, the open road is not open to you.

Originally Posted by themelon

Channel providers can purchase a wholesale channel package on cable, just no-one has chosen to do so.......possibly not an attractive deal?!? Its the same as Wholesale Broadband over cable it is available if people are willing to pay only AOL have done so far. The charges are probably quite high.

And the charges are higher if the cable company doesn't want to add your channel(s). So if Sky is not an open platform, cable definitely isn't as they have editorial control over what gets on, not just a financial constraint.

And what you might find is that when OFCOM start investigating the pay-tv market, those that rattled the cage in the first place might find themselves being made to open their own network up somewhat.

[Stuart C]

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

It seems though from the tech details on Rapture's site that you can config the sky box to tune to Rapture. In that sense Sky is open, they don't control the medium the programmes are sent over. They do control the content and can control who can usefully receive that content.

Our cable system is closed in that we do control and own the medium.

TBH, it would be difficult for Sky to close the system any more than they have done already. Anyone (given enough cash) can broadcast a signal to satellite. Apart from changing their encryption, there isn't a lot they can do to close it.

With cable, you need physical access to the cable, which is controlled by Virgin..