Brit Feevee titans duke it out: BSkyB clouds Virgin Media bow with high-profile moves.(TELEVISION/INTERNATIONAL)(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC, Virgin Media Group Ltd.)

LONDON If actions speak louder than words, then Europe's leading paybox, British Sky Broadcasting, looks mighty rattled right now.

Ruffling its feathers is the bow of Virgin Media, the re-branded U.K. cable combo that was NTL, whose biggest stockholder is maverick British entrepreneur and Virgin Atlantic owner Richard Branson.

In the past 10 days BSkyB, controlled by News Corp., has made a number of moves all aimed at undermining Virgin Media. On Feb. 8, the day Branson's baby emerged accompanied by customary Virgin hype, BSkyB, in a classic spoiling tactic, said it intends to bow a pay TV terrestrial service this summer.

Not exactly shy or …