Frost Global has long highlighted the need for an Australian Hulu and Netflix, but to date there has been no firm commitment from either company about commencing Australian operations. This has left Australian consumers with silo catch-up services, that is catch-up content only accessible through each free-to-air network’s online catch-up services (save for services such… Continue reading Is a Freeview catch up service next?
Category: IPTV
Game, set and match for Seven
The Seven Network and Tennis Australia today confirmed that Seven will continue to broadcast the Australian Open and AO Series events until 2019 (after their current deal expires at the end of the 2014 Australian Open). By the end of the new deal Seven will have broadcast the Australian Open for 46 years. The new… Continue reading Game, set and match for Seven
Digital sports rights: Telcos v TV
“Optus severs cash ties with footy” was the headline in the Australian last week. The report confirmed that Optus had elected not to renew its multi-million dollar sponsorship and digital rights deal with Football Federation Australia (FFA) and its sponsorship of the Carlton Football Club. The news comes after a number of sports failed to… Continue reading Digital sports rights: Telcos v TV
Foxtel-Austar merger makes sense
Foxtel’s proposed merger with Austar took another step in the right direction last week when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions (ACCC) commenced market consultations over Foxtel’s draft undertakings. Foxtel has provided the ACCC with undertakings in order to allay ACCC concerns that a merged company would hamper competition in the IPTV market. Foxtel and Austar, along… Continue reading Foxtel-Austar merger makes sense
Revenue grows ahead of FOXTEL’s big year
FOXTEL yesterday announced a jump of 5.1% in subscription revenues for the six months to 31 December 2011. This result was off the back of solid improvements in the take-up of FOXTEL products by FOXTEL customers including FOXTEL’s iQ, multiroom and high definition digital offerings. This is a good result for FOXTEL in a tough retail environment… Continue reading Revenue grows ahead of FOXTEL’s big year
‘Optus TV Now’ service approved by Federal Court
The Optus TV Now service has been given the stamp of approval by the Federal Court of Australia today. The service, according to Optus, allows a user to record and watch later free-to-air TV shows on a user’s mobile or PC. It allows an Optus customer the freedom to record TV shows anytime, anywhere to play… Continue reading ‘Optus TV Now’ service approved by Federal Court
A Local Version of Hulu is Needed
We reported earlier in the year that leading US online catch-up TV service HULU had applied for registration of its trademark in Australia, fuelling speculation of an Australian launch of the service some time in the near future. HULU is jointly owned by US media companies NBC Universal (Comcast), News Corporation & The Walt Disney Company and has around 260 partners… Continue reading A Local Version of Hulu is Needed
The Tradition Continues – SBS’s Tour de France coverage
SBS’s coverage of 3,430.50km of the most gruelling cycling event in the world, the Tour de France is now only hours away. As SBS countdowns to its 21st year covering the event, Australian cycling fans will be able to immerse themselves in Tour de France coverage for the next three week as the government broadcaster… Continue reading The Tradition Continues – SBS’s Tour de France coverage
Foxtel positions itself for subscriber growth and IPTV dominance
FOXTEL and AUSTAR will pay an estimated $593 million in cash and $85 million in contra to the AFL as part of the new $1.253 billion media rights deal for 2012 to 2016. Foxtel’s CEO Kim Williams AO told the Australian Financial Review that the new deal, “…is a considered investment in terms of retaining… Continue reading Foxtel positions itself for subscriber growth and IPTV dominance
Every game, every week…live
The Australian Football League (AFL) kept the media waiting some extra 50 minutes today before announcing its new media broadcasting rights deal for the 2012-2016 period, but it was worth the wait. The AFL has achieved the magical AUD$1 billion for its TV broadcast rights, in fact it has smashed what at times was seemingly… Continue reading Every game, every week…live