The Latest News from Virgin Media

04/11/08 BSkyB and Virgin Media Sign New Channel Carriage Agreements
Breakthrough for pay satellite and cable customers as carriage of "basic" channels secured until June 2011

Sky and Virgin Media (NASDAQ:VMED) today announced that, following successful negotiations, they have agreed two new channel carriage deals.

The first agreement will see the return, on 13 November, of Sky's Basic channels – including Sky1, Sky2, Sky3, Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sky Arts 1, Sky Arts 2, Sky Real Lives and Sky Real Lives 2 – to Virgin Media's cable TV service. The second agreement provides for the continued carriage of Virgin Media TV's basic channels – Living, Living 2, Bravo, Bravo 2, Trouble, Challenge and Virgin 1 – as part of Sky's retailed channel line-up on satellite. Both deals will run concurrently until 12 June 2011.

The agreements include fixed annual carriage fees for the channels with both channel suppliers able to secure additional capped payments if their channels meet certain performance-related targets.
Commenting on the agreements, Virgin Media's CEO, Neil Berkett, said: "We are pleased to bring our carriage negotiations with Sky to a successful close. I believe this agreement represents a fair deal and is the right thing for our customers. We recognise the quality and popularity of Sky's channels and look forward to welcoming them back to Virgin Media's TV service. We are also pleased to secure Sky's continued carriage of the VMTV channels until June 2011."

Jeremy Darroch, Sky's CEO, adds: "This is great news for Sky and Virgin Media customers alike. We want our channels to be enjoyed by as many people as possible so we're delighted to secure their return to the Virgin Media platform."

As part of the agreements, both Sky and Virgin Media have agreed to terminate all High Court proceedings against each other relating to the carriage of their respective basic channels.
01/10/08 Virgin Media Introduces Mobile Broadband
Virgin Media today launched its first Mobile Broadband offer. Now available alongside Virgin Media’s superfast fibre optic broadband, Mobile Broadband from Virgin Media lets users stay connected by simply plugging in a USB modem to a laptop and connecting to the internet through the mobile phone network.  

Mobile Broadband from Virgin Media is available on an 18 month contract and comes with a free USB modem and 3GB of data every month – enough for 2,000 emails, 100 hours of web surfing, 200 music tracks and 100 two minute videos.

Virgin Media recommends mobile broadband for users who frequently surf the internet on the move or at home. And, to help customers get the right broadband package for them, Virgin Media has created an online usage calculator available at virginmobile.com.

"The launch of our Mobile Broadband product means UK consumers can now get all of their broadband needs from the UK’s leading broadband expert”, said Neil Berkett, Virgin Media CEO. “We’re perfectly placed to offer advice on the best broadband packages available, across a range of gadgets and speeds. Virgin Media already provides the fastest broadband in the UK over our fibre optic network and now customers can enjoy our broadband both at home and when on the move.”

Mobile Broadband is available on 0800 052 3344 at virginmedia.com/shrunkor in any Virgin Media or zavvi store.
30/09/08 Winning Virgin Media Shorts 2008 film announced - Richard Branson and Kevin Spacey pick award winner

Virgin Media has today announced the winner of the first ever Virgin Media Shorts Award. In association with FilmFlex, Virgin Media Shorts is a unique short film competition championing the best undiscovered film talent in the UK.

Winning film makers Phil Sansom and Olly Williams were awarded the grand prize by host Johnny Vaughan at the awards ceremony held at the British Film Institute. The Black Hole beat off stiff competition from more than 1,400 entries, and was chosen from a short-list of 12 by a prestigious panel of film industry experts including film and stage actor Kevin Spacey, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and Bend it Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha.

The team behind The Black Hole receive up to £30,000 towards their next film, as well as nationwide exposure to millions of people across the country. Each of the 12 short-listed films are currently being shown at 212 cinemas across the UK for a whole year, until July 2009. The films will also be available to 3.5 million Virgin Media TV customers to watch for free through the FilmFlex Movies on Demand service, and the films can be watched on the website (www.virginmediashorts.co.uk). The winning film will also be shown nationwide on Virgin1 on 18th October. Virgin Mobile customers can download clips of the films through the Mobile Bites site.

Phil Sansom and Olly Williams met in 2001 at the Wimbledon School of Art and have worked together before, but The Black Hole is their first short film and was made specifically for Virgin Media Shorts. It was shot in just one day at an office in Twickenham, with the help of actor Napoleon Ryan, who the duo met whilst working on a music video for British indie band The Hoosiers. In the film, Napoleon plays bored office worker ‘Charlie’, who becomes consumed by greed after accidentally photocopying a black hole, ending with a compelling twist to the tale.

The winner of the People’s Choice Award, voted for by the British public, was also announced at the ceremony. This prize was awarded to Justin Waite for his film The Hobbyist, which secured a staggering 37 per cent of the public vote beating off the other 11 short-listed films. Justin, who is also known as Johnny Vaughan’s former sidekick ‘Welshy’ on his Capital Radio breakfast show, stars in his short film about an unusual hobby. The pair were reunited on stage at the Virgin Media Shorts awards ceremony.

Richard Branson said “Virgin Media Shorts is in keeping with Virgin beliefs in celebrating up and coming talent and I’m sure the exposure this competition gives the film makers will have a huge impact on their lives. The Black Hole is an original, engaging film which audiences will love, I’m sure I speak for all my fellow judges when I say we’re delighted to have been involved at such an early stage in their careers.”

Virgin Media’s chief executive of content, Malcolm Wall, said “The first ever Virgin Media Shorts competition has been a phenomenal success. We were delighted with the quality of the entries and the vast amount of undiscovered talent we’ve uncovered, which proves British film making is fresher and more creative than ever.”

What the rest of the Virgin Media Shorts judging panel thought

Kevin Spacey commented: “I was very impressed with the quality of the 12 short-listed films for Virgin Media Shorts. If these film makers can show the same skill when they move on to larger and more ambitious projects, we should be in for a real treat.”

Film director Gurinder Chadha, who directed Bend it Like Beckham and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, said of The Black Hole “Perfect storytelling within the limited time frame and with a great twist as well.”

Oscar nominated film director Daniel Barber commented on The Black Hole: “A terrific idea, beautifully crafted; the work of a future star director!”

Stephen Mangan, star of Green Wing and Confetti, raved about The Black Hole: “A great story that contains a lot of unexpected twists and turns and beautifully shot."

Film critic James King’s thoughts on The Black Hole: “Eerily simple yet powerfully effective. Excellent technical credits complete this near-perfect short film.”

Lenny Crooks, Head of the UK Film Council’s New Cinema Fund said “The Black Hole is a deceptively simple idea, perfectly executed.”

Melanie Hussey, who won a competition to be Virgin Media’s Customer Judge, said “I believe a strong message is essential for a good short film. The Black Hole has a strong story and is well structured, with some interesting camera work, making for a great short film. It’s been a real honour to be part of such an impressive judging panel alongside the likes of Kevin Spacey and Richard Branson, and I’ve loved every minute.”

For more information about Virgin Media Shorts, visit www.virginmediashorts.co.uk.