Virgin Media in Big Brother talks
Virgin Media is in secret talks with Channel 4 to sponsor Big Brother, MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal.
If the two companies reach a deal, Virgin Media could gain exclusive access to video-on-demand content, giving it an advantage in its battle with BSkyB for subscribers.
The negotiations come after Carphone Warehouse dropped its sponsorship - said to be worth £3m annually - earlier this month after Celebrity Big Brother became engulfed in an international storm over alleged racist bullying.
The retailer abruptly pulled its sponsorship idents midway through the programme's run in an unprecendented move in January after contestant Shilpa Shetty endured taunts from other contestants including Jade Goody. At the time Channel 4 denied racist incidents had occurred.
Virgin Media is locked in a fractious battle with BSkyB after Sky removed its basic channels from Virgin in a row over carriage payments.
Its massive marketing campaign following its rebranding last month from NTL-Telewest included an advertising campaign featuring Uma Thurman.
The Big Brother sponsorship package includes branding and advertising opportunities across TV, video-on-demand, online, radio and mobile.
If the deal goes ahead Virgin could also gain exclusive content from the Big Brother house for its mobile phone customers, boosting its "four-play" offering of cable TV, broadband, mobile phone and telephone landline.
Carphone Warehouse was contracted to sponsor this summer's Big Brother series, but the phone retailer and broadband provider pulled out of sponsoring the show altogether.
"We have concluded that the huge publicity around the show and our involvement within that means it is now time to look for an alternative," Carphone Warehouse said in a statement.
The terms of the contract termination were not disclosed.
"Channel 4 is currently in talks with a number of high profile brands regarding sponsorship of the eighth series of Big Brother," said a Channel 4 spokeswoman earlier this month after Carphone Warehouse dropped its sponsorship.
"The show remains the original and most talked about reality television show and its ability to reach young people in large numbers is unique and one of extreme value to brands wishing to target this valuable audience."
Stephen Brook
Thursday March 15, 2007
MediaGuardian.co.uk
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
Virgin Media is in secret talks with Channel 4 to sponsor Big Brother, MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal.
If the two companies reach a deal, Virgin Media could gain exclusive access to video-on-demand content, giving it an advantage in its battle with BSkyB for subscribers.
The negotiations come after Carphone Warehouse dropped its sponsorship - said to be worth £3m annually - earlier this month after Celebrity Big Brother became engulfed in an international storm over alleged racist bullying.
The retailer abruptly pulled its sponsorship idents midway through the programme's run in an unprecendented move in January after contestant Shilpa Shetty endured taunts from other contestants including Jade Goody. At the time Channel 4 denied racist incidents had occurred.
Virgin Media is locked in a fractious battle with BSkyB after Sky removed its basic channels from Virgin in a row over carriage payments.
Its massive marketing campaign following its rebranding last month from NTL-Telewest included an advertising campaign featuring Uma Thurman.
The Big Brother sponsorship package includes branding and advertising opportunities across TV, video-on-demand, online, radio and mobile.
If the deal goes ahead Virgin could also gain exclusive content from the Big Brother house for its mobile phone customers, boosting its "four-play" offering of cable TV, broadband, mobile phone and telephone landline.
Carphone Warehouse was contracted to sponsor this summer's Big Brother series, but the phone retailer and broadband provider pulled out of sponsoring the show altogether.
"We have concluded that the huge publicity around the show and our involvement within that means it is now time to look for an alternative," Carphone Warehouse said in a statement.
The terms of the contract termination were not disclosed.
"Channel 4 is currently in talks with a number of high profile brands regarding sponsorship of the eighth series of Big Brother," said a Channel 4 spokeswoman earlier this month after Carphone Warehouse dropped its sponsorship.
"The show remains the original and most talked about reality television show and its ability to reach young people in large numbers is unique and one of extreme value to brands wishing to target this valuable audience."
Stephen Brook
Thursday March 15, 2007
MediaGuardian.co.uk
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
