Turner Inks New Deal with Virgin Media in U.K., Ireland

LONDON: Turner and Virgin Media have expanded their program offering by signing a new long-term agreement in the U.K. and Ireland, with Virgin Media customers gaining access to more on-demand content.

The pact guarantees that Virgin Media customers will continue to enjoy a number of Turner channels, including Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Cartoonito, TCM and CNN International, and will bring an HD version of Cartoon Network to viewers in Ireland for the first time. Catch-up TV and box sets are also launching on Virgin Media’s TV platform. The new deal will give customers access to hundreds of hours of box sets featuring such kids’ series as Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, Regular Show, Scooby-Doo, Mr Bean, The Tom and Jerry Show and Fireman Sam.

The new agreement also includes Turner catch-up TV for Virgin Media customers in the U.K. and Ireland, who will have access to hours of content with a 30-day catch-up window. In addition, the deal sees Turner guaranteeing new rights to support Virgin Media’s future product launches.

David Bouchier, the chief digital entertainment officer at Virgin Media, said: “Our new deal with Turner means our customers will be able to access a wealth of on-demand programs, as well as continuing to enjoy some of the very best TV from channels as diverse as Cartoon Network, TCM and CNN International. We are committed to giving our customers the very best TV to watch, when and how they want, and it’s fantastic to work with partners who think in the same way.”

Ian McDonough, the senior VP and managing director for Turner in Northern Europe, added: “We’re very excited about strengthening our much-valued partnership with Virgin Media built around our premium kids’ and entertainment brands. At Turner we are committed to delivering the best curated branded experiences to our audiences, wherever they are. We look forward to working closely with Virgin Media to deliver entertaining channels and on-demand content that captures the growing appetite of our audiences for many years to come.”