Discuss: An interesting week for media news

On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 05:47:34 GMT, Jomtien wrote:

Take a look at Ebay to see how interested people are. FTV cards go
daily for £50.

Yes, but we're talking about a handful of people - not hundreds of
thousands or the millions that you're talking about.

Most people were totally unaware that replacement cards were
available, largely due to the fact that when the on-screen messages
first appeared they directed viewers to a Sky number where they were
told that no FTV cards were available (an outright lie) and that they
could subscribe, if they wanted to get the FTV channels.

That was the information which was correct at the time, though - not a
lie by any stretch of the imagination.

Only much later did the right number appear on-screen, by which time
most people had rung the other number and been misinformed, so they
didn't try the new number. Even now, a day doesn't pass without some
cardless person ringing me to see what is happening with FTV cards.
Some would suggest that Sky did this deliberately.

Some would say anything to get their licks in, no matter how untrue.

On the contrary. Most multinational brands use the same ads throughout
Europe, with just the voice-overs etc. dubbed. I see dozens of these
daily.

Some. On occasion. Most time the television advertising in each part
of Europe varies wildly and there is little similarity.

But as I mentioned previously, King Canute didn't really believe he
could stop the tide coming in - he was proving a point to his
followers.

What has this to do with a solution?

It highlights that you can say "the problem of my feet getting wet can
easily be solved by stopping the tide coming in", but in reality it is
not easy and not a solution, it's just talk.

Nigel Barker wrote:

Take a look at Ebay to see how interested people are. FTV cards go
daily for £50.

I had a quick look. There are currently 45 Sky viewing cards for sale on
www.ebay.co.uk Hardly an enormous number & the prices are quite low given the
small number for sale so obviously the demand is not high.

For something that most people got for free this seems quite a market
to me. It may also be that the demand is indeed high but the supply is
getting weak.

Also it's possible that more people are now aware that official cards
will be available again soon for £20.

--
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. ;-)

Zero Tolerance wrote:

Most people were totally unaware that replacement cards were
available, largely due to the fact that when the on-screen messages
first appeared they directed viewers to a Sky number where they were
told that no FTV cards were available (an outright lie) and that they
could subscribe, if they wanted to get the FTV channels.

That was the information which was correct at the time, though - not a
lie by any stretch of the imagination.

No, that was an outright lie. The wrong number was on the screen for
many weeks and no accurate FTV information was available from that
number. Anyone ringing the right number could get themselves an FTV
card for £23.50, but not by following the directions on-screen.


Only much later did the right number appear on-screen, by which time
most people had rung the other number and been misinformed, so they
didn't try the new number. Even now, a day doesn't pass without some
cardless person ringing me to see what is happening with FTV cards.
Some would suggest that Sky did this deliberately.

Some would say anything to get their licks in, no matter how untrue.

I suggest that you search back in Google to see what the situation was
at that time, if your memory is so poor.
For what it's worth, I never lie. I don't need to.


On the contrary. Most multinational brands use the same ads throughout
Europe, with just the voice-overs etc. dubbed. I see dozens of these
daily.

Some. On occasion. Most time the television advertising in each part
of Europe varies wildly and there is little similarity.

Not at all. Many TV adverts come from multinationals and most of them
use the same material in most EU countries. Ask the advertising
industry.

--
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. ;-)

On Fri, 24 Sep 2004 06:24:37 GMT, Jomtien wrote:

Nigel Barker wrote:

Take a look at Ebay to see how interested people are. FTV cards go
daily for £50.

I had a quick look. There are currently 45 Sky viewing cards for sale on
www.ebay.co.uk Hardly an enormous number & the prices are quite low given the
small number for sale so obviously the demand is not high.

For something that most people got for free this seems quite a market
to me. It may also be that the demand is indeed high but the supply is
getting weak.

Then normal market economics would force the price up. This is not happening.

Also it's possible that more people are now aware that official cards
will be available again soon for £20.

Possibly but I suspect that the demand for FTV cards for UK residents is
infinitesimal. Possibly more demand from ex-pats & other overseas viewers. Now
that the BBC are FTA I would guess that the demand for cards has fallen.

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

Jomtien penned this response in uk.media.tv.misc to a possibly
pointless meandering on Thu, 23 Sep 2004 05:47:34 GMT:

Take a look at Ebay to see how interested people are. FTV cards go
daily for £50.

When the going rate for second-hand goods on eBay is frequently
greater than what the same goods can be bought for *brand new*, then
we can safely conclude that eBay pricings and demand are indicative of
nothing more than the idiocy of the users...

--
contact:
"In your day you were slacking if you didn't get in a
couple of genocides before breakfast."

On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 05:47:34 GMT, Jomtien wrote:

Most people were totally unaware that replacement cards were
available, largely due to the fact that when the on-screen messages
first appeared they directed viewers to a Sky number where they were
told that no FTV cards were available (an outright lie) and that they
could subscribe, if they wanted to get the FTV channels.

Only much later did the right number appear on-screen, by which time
most people had rung the other number and been misinformed, so they
didn't try the new number. Even now, a day doesn't pass without some
cardless person ringing me to see what is happening with FTV cards.
Some would suggest that Sky did this deliberately.

This is exactly what happened with me. Eventually I did some research,
found out exactly what the position was and pouted.

Fiona

Nigel Barker wrote:

For something that most people got for free this seems quite a market
to me. It may also be that the demand is indeed high but the supply is
getting weak.

Then normal market economics would force the price up. This is not happening.

There is obviously an upper limit to the price of these cards. For
£150 you can get a year's sub to Sky, which leaves you with an FTV
card.


Also it's possible that more people are now aware that official cards
will be available again soon for £20.

Possibly but I suspect that the demand for FTV cards for UK residents is
infinitesimal. Possibly more demand from ex-pats & other overseas viewers. Now
that the BBC are FTA I would guess that the demand for cards has fallen.

I disagree. Otherwise why would Sky be launching the new FTV cards?
They are only doing it because there is a demand, and Ofcom are
presumably only concerned about it because they have received many
complaints.

--
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. ;-)

The Reverend Bob wrote:

Take a look at Ebay to see how interested people are. FTV cards go
daily for £50.

When the going rate for second-hand goods on eBay is frequently
greater than what the same goods can be bought for *brand new*, then
we can safely conclude that eBay pricings and demand are indicative of
nothing more than the idiocy of the users...

Having sold many DVDs myself on Ebay for more than the price I paid
for them, I can only agree.

--
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. ;-)

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 05:08:20 GMT, Jomtien wrote:

Nigel Barker wrote:

For something that most people got for free this seems quite a market
to me. It may also be that the demand is indeed high but the supply is
getting weak.

Then normal market economics would force the price up. This is not happening.

There is obviously an upper limit to the price of these cards. For
£150 you can get a year's sub to Sky, which leaves you with an FTV
card.

Not an option for the overseas viewers who I suspect are the main purchasers of
these cards on Ebay.

Also it's possible that more people are now aware that official cards
will be available again soon for £20.

Possibly but I suspect that the demand for FTV cards for UK residents is
infinitesimal. Possibly more demand from ex-pats & other overseas viewers. Now
that the BBC are FTA I would guess that the demand for cards has fallen.

I disagree. Otherwise why would Sky be launching the new FTV cards?
They are only doing it because there is a demand, and Ofcom are
presumably only concerned about it because they have received many
complaints.

Are Sky launching FTV cards? From what I read they are proposing the old deal of
a subsidised box tied to the phone line plus an FTV card. They want to try &
install a digibox into those households who dislike the idea of having a Sky
subscription. Once they are signed up & have the phone line connected then Sky
bombard them with publicity about subscribing & using PPV & interactive
services. That is how they propose to make money out of the deal. They are
trying to create a demand not answer one that exists

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

On Fri, 24 Sep 2004 06:24:38 GMT, Jomtien wrote:

I suggest that you search back in Google to see what the situation was
at that time, if your memory is so poor.

(Sigh)

OK Jomtien, whatever you say...