best4less (28-09-09),gordon_s1942 (28-09-09),OSIRUS (29-09-09)
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Foxtel expansion
NEXT Tuesday, September 29, Foxtel is making a major announcement about new channels and new technology that will be available to subscribers. The night before, chairman Kim Williams is hosting a small dinner party for Foxtel stars and media in a private room at Aria restaurant in East Circular Quay, Sydney.
* Bill Paxton is the only actor to be killed by Alien, a Terminator, and the Predator.
best4less (28-09-09),gordon_s1942 (28-09-09),OSIRUS (29-09-09)
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Horses doovers and champers all round, jeeeves
FOXTEL will launch 30 new channels, new movie and high-definition services and give away digital video recorders next month as part of a $50 million pay-TV revamp to be announced today.
The company will also launch an online TV and movie download service that will be free to existing subscribers.
Foxtel sales and product development executive director Patrick Delany said the new channels, to be delivered by the Optus D3 satellite launched last month, would begin on November 15.
The new offerings include standard-definition channels aimed at women and children, a murder mystery channel and an ad-free station called Kids Co.
New movie channels would include Showtime Drama, Showtime Comedy and Family Movie Channel, as well as high-definition offerings Showtime Action HD and Starpics HD.
Mr Delany said the Starpics movie channel was devoted to showing blocks of movies from one actor or actress.
Other Foxtel channels to go HD include all three Fox Sports channels, as well as UKTV, Showcase and Fox8.
Foxtel would include iQ digital video recorders with its new subscriptions at no ongoing charge, he said.
"What we're doing is that we've transitioned from analog to digital, digital to high-definition, and now we're transitioning into a new era of hard-drive media," he said.
Other changes to Foxtel will include improved iQ and iQ2 menus, enabling users to view a wall of 200 movie and TV posters with recording suggestions and to search existing recordings.
The company will also launch a Foxtel Download service from Thursday that will let subscribers legally download and watch up to 400 hours of movies and TV shows on their PCs.
Fusion Strategy media analyst Steve Allen said Foxtel was smart to launch new HD channels as they had proven a strong lure for TV subscribers in the US.
But he said while the new launches might attract new subscribers, they might not convince existing subscribers to watch more Foxtel content.
"There is research that shows once you get past 80 or so channels new channels make no difference to viewership," Mr Allen said.
"Adding more and more channels is not a particularly valuable driver in itself," he explained.
The price of Foxtel subscriptions will grow, with top-of-the-range packagse increasing from $131 per month to $135.
* Bill Paxton is the only actor to be killed by Alien, a Terminator, and the Predator.
About time
Phasing out old boxes to rationalise inventory is just common sense. Their asset value was written down to zero years ago, and when they're all swapped out they might even reap savings in firmware development time or security. But the biggest payoff from getting rid of old junk is in marketing.
Hard disk PVRs are so cheap now - they'd buy 'em for well under $100 - there's no excuse for not making them basic issue. There are still plenty of people who still only have VHS recorders, so the PVR angle gives the marketing people something to make a song and dance about. It's the marketing bling that brings in the sales, and the average buyer is easily dazzled. If you say NEW and FREE to them often enough they'll barely notice the price rise, the HD content price premium, or that the "new" channels are just more of the same.
I'm surprised that Foxtel are making a fuss about their downloadable TV programs and movies. On the day that Foxtel sign agreements with seven or eight ISPs to make their content unmetered, as ABC , they will have something to crow about. Until then, "up to 400 hours of movies and TV shows" isn't much use if after ten shows you've burned through your whole month's download quota.
Subscribers who responded to Dodo's adverts on Foxtel and signed up to a will be thrilled when their bills arrive. At $180/GB, watching Foxtel online will have clocked up excess usage charges at rate of $20 per hour! Today Tonight will have a field day with that story.
Can you see many ISPs giving up capacity and profit margin in order to benefit Foxtel's investors? I can't. At this stage it appears will be unmetered, and you can bet even that agreement will evaporate .
vk6hgr (29-09-09)
I got a thing in the mail today, hey i worked out how to save money and still watch the same shows i normally do!
Got some stupid sticker 'foxtel access card' i might stick it under the bottom of my rubbish bin.
iam a bogan
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