Talks between BSkyB and Virgin are still ongoing over putting the likes of Sky One and Sky Sports News back on cable – with both companies keen to end an impasse that has now been lasted for well over a year.
It was March 1 2007 when Sky decided to remove its channels from Virgin Media's platform – insisting that no deal had been found on what should be paid to carry the services.
The unsavoury fallout, which at one early stage saw Virgin's EPG carrying insulting names for Sky channels as place holders (Sky Snooze, for instance), did not help either company, and many viewers found they could no longer watch programmes like Battlestar Galactica, Lost and The Simpsons.
Revenue loss
And it wasn't just the viewers that suffered with both Virgin Media and Sky stating that the revenue loss from the argument has been substantial.
However, TechRadar has spoken Virgin Media and can confirm that discussion between the two companies over getting the channels back onto cable have not ended.
"Talks are still ongoing," confirmed a Virgin Media spokesman.
Popular stations
Sky Sports News – providing, unsurprisingly, rolling 24 hour sports news – and Sky One, BSkyB's flagship entertainment channel are two of the most popular digital stations on television.
James Murdoch insisted that BSkyB was a content provider rather than just a satellite company, and getting the channels back onto cable will surely go a long way to proving that point.
As ever, TechRadar will keep you abreast of any breakthrough in negotiations.
