With Andrew Denton as a producer, I was looking forward to witty debate about modern moral dilemmas, but instead we got an awkward mashup of panel, talk and game show – sprinkled with a weird national IQ special vibe. Last night’s big question: Is it OK to spy on your teenager online? Appropriately, it seems that timing is everything… More »
Channel 10 is the latest free-to-air network to announce its plans for a third digital channel following the 7mate announcement last week. And in an inspired naming choice, the new channel will be simply called “Eleven”. More »
Today celebrates the first birthday of Channel 10′s attempt to multi-channel in high definition: One HD. And despite the fact that some areas of Australia still haven’t got the channel, one year seems like a pretty good point to look back and rate the performance of the country’s first true free-to-air HD multichannel offering. More »
IceTV has a very, very good point on their blog today about planning your scheduled recordings around this week’s introduction of the One HD sports channel. As in, ‘If you don’t change your scheduled recording before March 26, you’ll probably miss the next episode of House in HD’. More »
Despite the fact that Channel 10 seem to persistently run behind Seven and Nine in the ratings, they are the leading Australian network when it comes to HD programming. But, those of you who have been enjoying watching your favourite programs in HD on 10 are going to be bitterly disappointed come March 26 when the network switches their HD programming to cover sport and sport alone. More »
Yesterday may have been the first day of 2009, but it was also the first day the Australian free-to-air TV networks could legally begin broadcasting a second digital SD channel. But here we are, 1.5 days into the new year, and none of the FTA networks have actually made good on their chance to launch a second channel and according to the Australian, aren’t likely to for several more months.
Just a little over a week since the ABC launched their iView service for video on demand, executives from Hulu, the NBC/News Corp video streaming service from the US, have flown into Australia to meet with all the Australian networks to try and launch Hulu down under.
According to the SMH, all three free-to-air networks have met with Hulu, and seem to be fairly optimistic about the proposition, although whether or not we see an Australian version could come down to what kind of business deals are offered to the local networks.
But most interesting is the fact that network executives are also considering using the ABC’s iView to do the same thing – act as a central content hub for programming from all the Australian networks.
We all know that TiVo is coming soon, but if the rumblings coming out of the SMH are true, then we’ll be getting it without the usual subscription fee that TiVo charges.
I don’t know about you, but the whole Australian launch of TiVo just got mighty exciting.
The last we heard, they were planning on cutting the subscription fee right down. But by making it a premium box without ongoing fees, the TiVo will stand out against PVRs from other manufacturers thanks to its proven EPG data and internet capabilities.
Apparently we’re looking at a July launch for teh TiVo box, which looks like a month later than Foxtel’s new iQ2. The SMH reckons that the move to a subscription-free TiVo will push Foxtel into dropping their price, but I’ll believe that when I see it.
On a side note, both Channels 9 and 10 have confirmed that they will share their EPG data on the TiVo, which is a nice touch from Channel 9 considering their ongoing litigation against IceTV.
The other interesting thing is that all the extra features that TiVo offers – like online entertainment, for example, won’t be available at launch. Instead they’re focusing on the EPG and getting it launched for the Olympics.
In any case, this is awesome news for PVR enthusiasts in Australia. I’m actually excited by this now. How about you guys?
[SMH]
On January 1 2009, all the commercial free-to-air networks are entitled to launch a second SD channel, to show unique programming in conjunction with their original SD and HD channels.
If you’re hanging out for that day, hoping to see a heap more Neighbours spin-offs quality programming, you’re about to be disappointed. The Age is reporting that Channel 10 boss Grant Blackley doesn’t think we’ll see any extra channels until well into 2009.
“We’re capable of launching from January 1 (but) I don’t think any network has said they will physically launch on January 1.”
The hangup seems to be not just finding the programs to show, but also the long search for advertising dollars – at the moment, the free-to-air networks have no OzTAM ratings data for their HD channels to take to advertisers to help sales. That will change by the end of the year, but it will still take a couple of months before the networks will be comfortable launching a third channel.
Of course, Channel 7 was tight-lipped as to whether they’re targeting the Jan 1 date, and Channel 9 are far behind when it comes to digital technology (plus they’re too busy wasting money suing IceTV), so when they launch a second SD channel is anybody’s guess.
Hopefully when they do launch we won’t have to sit through B-grade entertainment – if I have one complaint about the HD channels it’s that sometimes the selection of HD programming is terrible. Just because a show is high-definition doesn’t mean it’s high quality…
[The Age]
Could it be true? The SMH is reporting today that Channel Seven is considering ditching TiVo before it’s even launched to instead get behind a “Freeview” PVR with all the other networks. The joint venture is an attempt by the free-to-air networks to take the fight to Foxtel.
The Freeview PVR will be based on the successful Freeview unit available in the UK, and would be released early next year. It would give users access to all the free-to-air digital stations, which would number at about 15 once the networks launch their second SD channels next year. More »
