In message
Nigel Barker wrote:


Why can't (or don't) the broadcasters buy transmission rights according to
the "without frontiers" principle? Why doens't the EU force them to do so?


Mainly because the right owners want to screw out every last Euro by selling
the same material many times over. It may be that for BSkyB the hassle
factor of openly selling subscriptions throughout Europe is not as
attractive as turning a blind eye to all those who at present simply provide
a UK accommodation address.


I have no idea how much more hassle is involved in selling to different
countries within the EU. A credit card is a credit card. I have never had
any problems getting subscriptions to UK magazines, albeit at a higher rate
to cover the extra postage. I fSKY have people defaulting on their payments,
whether mainland Europeans or UK residents, they can quite simply deactivate
the card.


--
Philip Green,
Rotterdam - NL.

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 10:25:27 GMT, Philip GREEN wrote:

In message
Nigel Barker wrote:


Why can't (or don't) the broadcasters buy transmission rights according to
the "without frontiers" principle? Why doens't the EU force them to do so?


Mainly because the right owners want to screw out every last Euro by selling
the same material many times over. It may be that for BSkyB the hassle
factor of openly selling subscriptions throughout Europe is not as
attractive as turning a blind eye to all those who at present simply provide
a UK accommodation address.


I have no idea how much more hassle is involved in selling to different
countries within the EU. A credit card is a credit card. I have never had
any problems getting subscriptions to UK magazines, albeit at a higher rate
to cover the extra postage. I fSKY have people defaulting on their payments,
whether mainland Europeans or UK residents, they can quite simply deactivate
the card.

I was thinking more in practical terms of multilingual call centres, arranging
system installations etc. It may just be that BSkyB enjoy being part of the cosy
cartel of European satellite broadcasters & don't want to compete in other
markets on the implicit agreement that Canal+ etc won't try & compete in the UK.

--
Nigel Barker
Live from the sunny Cote d'Azur

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 10:21:57 GMT, Philip GREEN wrote:

In message
Brian McIlwrath wrote:

Philip GREEN wrote:

: Why can't (or don't) the broadcasters buy transmission rights according to
: the "without frontiers" principle? Why doens't the EU force them to do so?

The US TV companies won't sell programmes in this way. No EU broadcaster
seems to want to work this way.
The EU seems disinclined to force them!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

My point entirely. Why don't they get their fingers out? I thought that's
what we were paying them (the EU) for.

To its credit the BBC is already delivering transmissions without frontiers as
their FTA broadcasts cover half of Europe.

--
Nigel Barker
Live from the sunny Cote d'Azur

In article ,
Philip GREEN wrote:
My point entirely. Why don't they get their fingers out? I thought that's
what we were paying them (the EU) for.

Because there's nothing to enforce. The directive covers the activities of
governments who might want to limit the geographical reach of television
channels to either keep them inside or outside their borders. It does not
and was never intended to cover the activities and choices of the
broadcasters themselves. The principle is that suppliers *can* choose to
cover and supply the entire EU, not that they *must*!

Dave
--
Email: MSN Messenger:

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 10:21:57 GMT, Philip GREEN
wrote:

: Why can't (or don't) the broadcasters buy transmission rights according to
: the "without frontiers" principle? Why doens't the EU force them to do so?

The US TV companies won't sell programmes in this way. No EU broadcaster
seems to want to work this way.
The EU seems disinclined to force them!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

My point entirely. Why don't they get their fingers out? I thought that's
what we were paying them (the EU) for.

Because ultimately the media companies which have most to lose have
too much dirt on our elected representatives.

--
Hiram Hackenbacker

Nigel Barker wrote:

I have no idea how much more hassle is involved in selling to different
countries within the EU. A credit card is a credit card. I have never had
any problems getting subscriptions to UK magazines, albeit at a higher rate
to cover the extra postage. I fSKY have people defaulting on their payments,
whether mainland Europeans or UK residents, they can quite simply deactivate
the card.

I was thinking more in practical terms of multilingual call centres, arranging
system installations etc.

Many people forget that Sky already operate in two countries using two
totally different currencies. This apparently causes them little
grief. They would find it no harder to change the delivery address for
cards from the ROI to Germany or Italy etc. Billing procedures would
not change at all.
There is no need for multilingual call centres (why would anyone
subscribe to Sky if they couldn't speak English?) and installation
does not pose a problem either as your local man can always do it.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

In message
Nigel Barker wrote:

To its credit the BBC is already delivering transmissions without
frontiers as their FTA broadcasts cover half of Europe.

Good point and well made. All credit and thanks to the BBC for bucking the
trend and I hope others will follow soon. Certainly those who broadcast in
the clear from other satellite positions should be able to do so from 28.2E.


--
Philip Green,
Rotterdam - NL.