Virgin 1 - it's good to see Virgin has gone with an inspiring and revolutionary name with the launch of its new free-to-air channel.
Seriously though, this launch could be exactly what the multi-channel environment needs: a credible rival to challenge Sky's dominance as the largest satellite media owner in the UK. It's a signal of intent that Virgin is prepared to resolutely stick to its guns in its carriage battle with Sky.
The fact that Virgin 1 obtained the exclusive rights to US drama The Sarah Connor Chronicles and becomes the new home for everything Star Trek is likely to pull in viewers. In the digital world we live in where content is king, Virgin's 1's pledge to offer richer experiences for viewers via a multimedia approach increases its potential to succeed.
- If it can appeal to an audience that Sky 1/2/3 doesn't cater for, it can also bolster sales house IDS's position in the marketplace while strengthening Virgin's hand both in its battle against Sky and in maintaining its own customer base.
- The fact that the channel will be available on Freeview is a huge plus. With Freeview now having sold 15 million boxes and with Sky 1 absent from this platform, Virgin 1 has an opportunity to establish itself as a first port-of-call for many casual "flickers".
The only negative at the moment is that it will be taking over Ftn's slot on the EPG, which is lost on the fourth page down. With Sky 1 positioned just behind the five terrestrial channels, Virgin will probably require a very effective marketing campaign to achieve cut-through. Even though most of us have affinity with the Virgin brand in some shape or form, we'll need to be told exactly where to find it.
Whatever happens, this will be an interesting few months in TV land and, who knows, Virgin 2 might not be far away.
3 out of 5.
Review by Michael Cook, account director, Zed Media.
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