Virgin Media adds Eurosport HD to channel line-up
Virgin Media has signed up Eurosport HD, bringing the total number number of high-definition channels on the cable TV service to eight – still well behind arch rival Sky.
But Virgin promises that Europsort HD will be "the first of several new HD channels due to launch on Virgin in the coming months", all available to at no extra costs to customers on the firm's XL TV package.
Launching in April, Europsort HD will broadcast a range of sports including the forthcoming Tour de France, French Open tennis, all European rounds of World Superbikes, the World Touring Car Championships and Athletics European Championships – as well as selected tournaments from the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and wintersports.
Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, says: "We're really excited about the spring launch of Europsort HD and the wider roll-out of several more new HD channels in the coming months."
Virgin isn't yet revealing which those other new HD channels will be. It currently offers BBC HD, 4HD, ESPN HD, National Geographic HD, MTVN HD, FX HD and Living HD, as well as several hundred hours of HD programmes on demand.
It has also signed exclusive rights for the first UK showing in HD of the Che Guevara biopic by Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh.
Part One, The Argentine will be shown on February 5th, with Part Two, Guerilla airing on March 5th. The films will each be available for a month on Virgin's TV-on-demand service.
Later this year Virgin Media will introduce its new TiVo high-definition set-top box.
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Comments
Good news on Eurosport HD, look forward to more HD channels. Did the Che Guevara thing get broadcast. Can't find it.
oh wow-this is the best news ive heard in ages.
did everythin in reverse. as in i(over)spent on a big tv specifically to watch the tdf, and then i found out eurosport wasn`t available in HD and when i last spoke to VM they couldnt tell me any info on when it would be.
its strange they havent told me tho-been a VM customer for years...
still, its great news and im thrilled to read this here. cheers,thanx and roll on july.......
nice if VIRGIN started with itv 1 in hd that would have been a more popular option