Re: If you wanted Discovery to be advert free?
All pay TV channels ought to be Advert free. They are charging plenty.
Discovery is not charging anything - at least not on Sky's UK platform (I've no idea how VM work it but it's probably similar). Sky is charging the public for access to its platform and also charging Discovery Communications to be listed on the EPG. It's probably charging them a lot given that it's in the prime Documentary slot. Discovery Communications will be getting a discount due to their relative popularity and value to the Sky platform but overall they will be paying to have their content made available in UK homes.
Someone who appears to sell EPG slots giving some figures.
also here for some more pricing information:
Change to the way Sky charges BBC and ITV giving some figures.
There is no way that most channels on Sky's platform could survive without advertising under the current model. And producing advert free versions would be a nightmare. And I know I wouldn't want to be reliant on Sky to keep my company alive (which is what you and others are proposing here). Aside from the inherent risk it puts a huge amount of control on Sky's hands. You pretty much lose all control over your channel and might as well just hand everything over to Sky and give up.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
