Sky cinema becoming a rip off

[carol1966]

I have the full Sky Q HD package, and a few nights ago thought that I would like to watch the movie Bohemiam Rhapsody again as there is not really many movies that I would choose to watch on Sky Cinema, I had watched it a couple of times in the past and after searching for it I was taken to Sky Store and was expected to pay a minimum of £4.99 buy and keep just to watch a movie that was included in the cinema package earlier, surely any movies that were free to watch for Sky Cinema subscribers should remain free to watch.

[Annie+UK · Accepted solution]

Licenses to broadcast movies on the movie channels is time limited, when the license expires Sky allow people who missed them to buy/rent them from the store or wait until sky broadcast them again

This is nothing new, the BBC have been doing this for decades having their programmes available on DVD

BTW, the movies are not free as you need to subscribe to get access

[nolte]

Films only stay available to stream as part of sky cinema for a limited time only as then the license holder would then sell the rights to other service providers. Sometimes after time away, sky cinema will regain the rights to the film.

It is the license holder maximising the profit

[AlexSimmo]

I've been wondering a similar thing about Sky Cinema recently. I've been with Sky for years and have never before seen such a paucity of movies available on the movie channels. I realise the new releases will inevitably be a bit limited because of the last couple of years, but even just on things like classic movies there is very little available that was previously there.

Out of interest I had a look yesterday for some old classic Hitchcock movies that I had previously watched - all gone. Same with Ghandi, old westerns and many other classics.

Is it just me or is it very limited at the moment? And is this a result of the splintering of rights across the board? If so, I have to wonder if Sky Cinema is going to be worth it going forward?

[TimmyBGood]

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@AlexSimmo wrote:

And is this a result of the splintering of rights across the board? If so, I have to wonder if Sky Cinema is going to be worth it going forward?

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Realistically several of the streamers have essentially unlimited budgets for content acquisition because they either aren't actually having to cover costs through subscription income or they have global subscriber numbers a hundred times bigger than Sky could ever hope to achieve.  Whether the now rather elderly business model for Sky Cinema can be sustainable in this new and unprecedented media environment is definitely a moot point.

[Timelord2018]

Why do you think Paramount+ is being included with Sky Cinema from early next year possibly as early as the 4th of January if what I read elsewhere is correct.

[AlexSimmo]

Ah - is it coming that soon? I don't know too much about Paramount+, I must confess. Will it have a large back catalogue of movies then? And will it be included in the Sky Cinema package or will it ultimately become an extra like Netflix?

[xenon81]

Paramount+ will be available to Sky CInema subscribers at no extra cost. It will have a selection of Paramount movies but not a complete collection as many are currently licenced to other services. 

4th January is not a confirmed date and I think it is way too optimistic, don't be disapointed if it doesn't launch then.

[Timelord2018]

According to someone on Digital Spy - who are doing the PR for Paramount+  Sky have uploaded media assets for Paramount+ for as yet non-existent press release.

Looks like a announcement about it launching might be coming soon.

[gavinscott82008]

@Timelord2018 

It's all peaked my interest.

Unfortunately I can't find a way to look at the  that information posted by the person on Digital Spy.

Personally I'm not a customer with Sky TV just a NOW cinema membership, but if there is any information for a launch on Paramount+ I would love to find it!

[Timelord2018]

Also  ViacomCBS are rebranding Paramount Network as 5Action in January.

[LGUser]

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@Timelord2018 wrote:

Also  ViacomCBS are rebranding Paramount Network as 5Action in January.

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Any chance 5Action will be in HD?

[Timelord2018]

Doesn't seem likely as Paramount Network isn't in HD on Sky Q it's apparently In HD on Sky Glass and it's in HD on Virgin.

Going by Ch5 press pack it appears to be happening week commencing 15th of January possibly on 19th of January with FTA premiere of Treadstone.

[LGUser]

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@Timelord2018 wrote:

Doesn't seem likely as Paramount Network isn't in HD on Sky Q it's apparently In HD on Sky Glass and it's in HD on Virgin.

Going by Ch5 press pack it appears to be happening week commencing 15th of January possibly on 19th of January with FTA premiere of Treadstone.

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It's not a great way to start by starting with a show cancelled after one season.

[gavinscott82008]

@Timelord2018 

Shall we assume that the content of the rebranded 5action will be the same as Paramount Network?

If so then that's fair but most of it wasn't great anyway @LGUser