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Virgin Media begins offering streaming channels to cable customers

Virgin Media O2 is partnering with a number of free, ad-supported streaming television programmers to offer more channels to its cable and Internet customers.

Subscribers who use Virgin Media’s V6 or TV 360 cable boxes or Virgin Media stream boxes will have access to dozens of so-called “FAST” channels that stream right alongside traditional cable channels available in their plan.

The free streaming channels come from A+E Networks, All3 Media, Banijay Rights, Blue Ant Media, Extreme International, Fremantle, Little Dot Studios and Tastemade, to name a few. The new channels include the following:

  • Baywatch (Fremantle)
  • The Chat Show Channel (Little Dot Studios)
  • Deal or No Deal USA (Banijay Rights)
  • Fear Factor (Banijay Rights)
  • Great British Menu (All3 Media)
  • History Hit (Little Dot Studios)
  • Homes Under the Hammer (All3 Media)
  • Inside Crime (A+E)
  • Mystery TV (A+E)
  • Real Wild (Little Dot Studios)
  • Tastemade

“Now more than ever, Virgin TV offers a one-stop shop for brilliant programming curated in one easy and convenient place,” David Bouchier, the chief TV and entertainment officer at Virgin Media O2, said in a statement on Monday. “The introduction of FAST on our platform extends the high-quality viewing experience available to our customers, providing traditional broadcast with video on-demand, apps, and now linear streaming services all at their fingertips.”

Officials at Virgin Media O2 say the channels launching this week are just the first batch, and that more channels are expected to debut to Virgin Media customers in the future.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is a nationally-recognized, award-winning journalist who has covered the business of media, technology, radio and television for more than 11 years. He is the publisher of The Desk and contributes to Know Techie, Digital Content Next and StreamTV Insider. He previously worked for Thomson Reuters, the Walt Disney Company, McNaughton Newspapers and Tribune Broadcasting.
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