Virgin Media Community

[JohnTJ]

Hey Virgin media are you going to add the shudder and Disney plus apps alongside Netflix 

[HowardML]

What and expect these two to pay a share of their revenue to VM for the privilege, when these apps could be free standing and they get to keep the whole of their subscription revenue. What do you think is going to happen?

[JohnTJ]

I thought the apps were free and it was your choice  load them as I already subscribe to Disney plus and it would be good to have it all on one platform instead of having to change to another way o watch something different ie tv or Xbox 

[japitts · Accepted solution]

Only VM and the app providers know the commercial arrangements between them for the streaming services to be available.

But certainly in the case of linear broadcast channels, there are transmission costs that all platforms get paid for carrying a channel on their service. Then carriage costs that the platform pays the broadcaster to provide their content.

I'm sure, in a free world, VM would rather all of the streaming apps content were provided to them without the need for apps - and just use their own OnDemand platform. Providers such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Discovery etc etc want to have more direct control without the need to go through platforms such as Virgin.

A high-level view....

[nodrogd]

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@JohnTJ wrote:

I thought the apps were free and it was your choice  load them as I already subscribe to Disney plus and it would be good to have it all on one platform instead of having to change to another way o watch something different ie tv or Xbox 

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Virgin owns the box. You just rent it, so no you cannot put apps on their box. There has to be 1) a commercial agreement between the two & 2) the app owner has to develop & pay for an app that works with the TiVO or Horizon firmware used on the boxes.