Yesterday’s deal between Hybrid TV and Disney Media Distribution confirmed that the next decade is the decade of choice for the consumer.
The agreement, Disney’s first foray into a Video on Demand in the Southern Hemisphere, will lift Hybrid TV’s CASPA On-Demand offering to over 200 programs and 2000 hours of TV viewing on-demand.
CASPA On-Demand is a proprietary content and service platform developed and launched in late 2009 by Hybrid TV. This system allows users of TIVO devices in Australia and NZ to access TV shows, movies and music at any time from their TV. Hybrid TV is a Seven Network and TVNZ company and the exclusive licencee of TIVO products in Australia and New Zealand.
TIVO is a HD Digital Ready device and Personal Video Recorder that was first released in the USA in 1997 and has been available in Australia since August 2008.
Whilst CASPA On-Demand has been available in Australia since late 2009 providing content from Paramount Pictures, Sony Entertainment, Universal and NBC, the new deal sees CASPA users gain access to new release and library movies and over 300 hours of TV content from Disney Media Distribution.
Already available on the platform include hit shows such as Desperate Housewives and Lost and new release movies such as Up!
Tim Worner, Director of Production and Programming, Seven Media Group said, “seeing this content reaching into another company in the Seven Media Group and increasing viewing audiences of the current season of our programs is nothing but good news all round. The Seven Network and Disney Media Distribution have enjoyed a partnership of more than 50 years, today this partnership extends from broadcast into broadband.”
This year we have seen both the Seven and Ten Networks introduce online catch-up TV services, joining the ABC, SBS and Foxtel in having comprehensive offerings online, including the streaming of four Vancouver Winter Olympics channels on Foxtel’s website.
We also continue to have the ability to watch Foxtel channels and V8 Supercars coverage on Telstra Mobile, Foxtel/Austar in-flight with Virgin Blue, watch streaming coverage of the Australian Open on Optus mobile or the test cricket on 3 Mobile.
The launch of Freeview channels 7Two, Go!, OneHD, SBS One & Two, ABC1, ABC2, ABC3 have also provided another avenue to access content at a time more convenient for us rather than when the Programming Director decides.
“Providing consumer’s choice and convenience to access the content they love is core to Disney’s philosophy of leveraging new technology to enhance our distribution reach internationally. This agreement is symbolic of the giant strides that national broadcasters such as the Seven Network and TVNZ are making towards adopting digital media solutions that enable their audiences to watch movies and TV series on-demand, in their own time,” said Rob Gilby, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Disney Media Distribution (Asia Pacific).
Access points for consumers who wish to view content will continue to grow as Internet-ready TVs become standard alongside the implementation of the National Broadband Network and the increasing popularity of smart phones.
Whether content is accessed on a subscription, transaction or advertising funded model, content deals between companies such as Disney and Hybrid TV is a win for consumers and media organisations.
Not only can consumers get to access content when they want and how they want, content providers and broadcast organisations can discover new customers and new revenue streams.
This will ensure the continuation of high quality programming and hopefully teach consumers the ease of accessing legal content rather than resorting to illegal downloading.
For more information on TIVO go to www.mytivo.com.au.
To read the official press release in full click here