After months of not saying anything much at all regarding its second SD digital channel, the Nine network has confirmed that rather than just time-shifting content, there’ll be a heap of original programming. And by original, we of course mean repeats of old sitcoms.
If any of you happened to read the Herald Sun article on Monday entitled “Clock ticks for plasmas, LCDs” by Peter Familari and were wondering “what the f%*k?! How can a brand new TV be obsolete in less than 2 months?”, you can now rest easy. The article is a load of rubbish. It’s actually pretty unbelievable just how wrong the story is, even though the underlying issue is well worth looking at.
What started out as a funny, accurate and refreshing take on the farce that is Freeview in Australia has grown into something much uglier. UPDATED.
Comedian Dan Ilic and Triple J TV host Marc Fennell have created the most concise Freeview commercial to date. If you were wondering what all the fuss is about, your explanation is right here…
I just don’t get it. For years and years, the free-to-air networks argued that it wasn’t free EPG information or decent programming that would drive people to digital TV, it was the ability to multi-channel. Yet here we are in February 2009, the networks have been legally able to launch a second digital channel since January 1, and Channel 9 announces that they won’t be joining the multi-channel party until July because they need to upgrade their digital equipment.
If you want a lesson on how to confuse the hell out of customers about digital television, look no further than the lessons currently on offer from the upcoming Australian Freeview service. Not only are they promising 15 channels od digital programming when there currently isn’t 15 channels operating (and there’s no word on whether there will be), but as Ty Pendlebury over at CNet AU has discovered, the FreeView EPG won’t actually work with any current TVs or DVRs – to enjoy FreeView’s EPG, you’ll need to pony up a heap of fresh cash to get a product with the FreeView badge.
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.
The free-to-air networks this week got together and officially announced that they are planning on bringing the Freeview brand to Australia. Awesome. My hands are fighting back the urge to start clapping as I type this.
For those not in the know, Freeview is a UK branding exercise that covers free-to-air digital television. It essentially offers all the FTA networks digital TV offerings under one easy to remember brand name, essentially so that it can compete better with pay TV.
Considering the success Foxtel is experiencing at the moment, this is actually a good move for the FTA networks. Freeview will act as a standard that various DVR manufacturers will be able to adopt to ensure that they can provide an accurate EPG for home entertainment recording. This will allow other PVRs to seriously compete with the likes of TiVo and Foxtel’s iQ2 box.
Freeview will incorporate 15 channels from the FTA networks, including the high-def channels and the upcoming SD multi-channel offerings, and is tasked to drive up the digital offerings available on free-to-air TV.
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.
