Foxtel Cartel butcher Selectv

[pheggie]

Ovation to shutdown. Won't Selectv suffer the most? Possibly payback for Ovation probably
helping Selectv run SelectEvents.

[mtv]

Certainly sounds like sour grapes to me, due to the selectv association.

[wifi]

Looks like SelecTV will keep the channel, and maybe also Optus. The Optus version of fuxtel does have one different channel, TMF .. so now, maybe there will be 2 different channels on the optus platform.

[ssrattus]

This will piss off my Mum!

[gordon_s1942]

I think Ovation needs to clarify the situation as neither Discovery or the Movie channels carried on BOTH Select & Foxtel/Austar are being 'dumped' are they ?
I think there is more going on and I feel it will be one of money regarding fee's , services and charges to broadcast the program.
There is no valid reason why it cant be seen on Austar if Foxtell doesnt want it, after all they are seperate companies and I think it would be a breach of the Fair Trading acts for either Foxtel or Austar to just to dump a channel unless their contract was up or they havent paid the bill ala that ethnic broadcaster who went belly up a few years ago thru unpaid bills.

[gw1]

Donning my conspiracy theory hat, I'll speculate that maybe Foxtel executives tried to dictate a price cut to Ovation on a "take it or leave it" basis, and Ovation called their bluff and walked away.

This kind of bully-boy tactic is rife in many Australian industries wherever markets are dominated by a handful of distributors. Cases in point are and who dictate below-cost price contracts to vegetable and dairy farmers. When duopolies like Safeway/Coles, National Foods/Fonterra and Foxtel/Austar control 90% of their respective markets they become gatekeepers that dictate whether suppliers are able to reach consumers. They set prices. When Safeway offer a "special" price reduction from $5 to $3 they require the supplier to absorb the $2 cut, typically forcing them to take a loss for the duration of the special. It's part of the contract. Farmers who don't agree are locked out of the majority supply chain and forced to eke a living from the handful of independent stores.

Such contracts have invariably been "commercial in confidence", with suppliers forbidden from publicising how unreasonable the terms are. It really is a form of extortion.

Whether or not this is the case with Ovation I don't know, it's just speculation. But if Ovation have walked away because of an unreasonable demand by Foxtel then good on them. Tasmanian dairy farmers have been forced to from their contracts, suffering financially while a investigates their concerns. In the old days the industry was regulated by who ensured everyone was treated fairly. It's just another example of how unregulated free markets don't work as well in practice as they do in theory.

[gordon_s1942]

Your still missing the point.
Unless Foxtell and Austar have exclusion rights to transmit through C1/D3 only, OPTUS is the broadcaster, OPTUS owns the satelitte, NOT Foxtel or Austar.

[gw1]

There's nothing stopping Ovation channel, or any other channel not locked into an exclusion contract of some kind, from broadcasting directly to customers on C1/D3, provided there's sufficient spare transponder space. Nothing except for the infrastructure, but that's the problem.

Suppose Independent Entertainment negotiated a deal with Optus for transponder space on C1, so they could continue to sell Ovation to viewers despite Foxtel/Austar dropping them. No problem! They just need need to establish their own accounts and billing system, reach the customers, get their legal agreement to contracts, address and credit card details, mail out their own cards, license and operate their own crypto system for their stream, and get suitable boxes out to the customers - the Foxtel/Austar ones won't work.

That's a heck of a lot of overhead. There are plenty of companies around the world who do it even with only a handful of channels, but they can only afford to do so if the audience is large. That's why, for example, Max4XXX Asia (ISkyNet on Telstar 18) has been able to survive when others like BlueKiss and Sexz.TV couldn't. The audience in Australia isn't that large and SelecTV did well to carve a viable niche at the low end.

[LeroyPatrol]

I don't know how large a company Independant entertainment is but I hope they can continue to produce Ovation. Not just for the sake of Selectv but it's nice to have something in your line up that is apealing and unique to other ptv providers.

Leroy

[gordon_s1942]

Al Jarzeera managed to get broadcast from C1 even though reports claimed they were first refused because of 'No Channel Available' but it did them no good to get an allocation because neither Foxtel or Austar would allow their STB's to receive the channel untill recently and even now its still not available on Foxtel is it??

gw1 has very clearly covered the where and whats in his posting.

[Lazer]

SBS will launch a new Arts & Entertainment channel on Foxtel and Austar in the first half of 2010.

The announcement follows news that the Ovation Channel will no longer be carried.

With both locally produced and acquired content, the new channel will showcase Australian and international arts, culture and entertainment including performing arts, cinema, books, opera and ballet, music, Indigenous art and art and design.

SBS says programming will include “exclusive broadcasts of selected major Australian arts and entertainment events; the best international arts content across a range of genres and forms; showcases of major arts events from Australia and around the world; original commissioned programming to engage audiences with the contemporary arts and entertainment scene; and information and reviews about performances and events throughout Australia.”

[Lazer]

I doubt Ovation will last til end of next year, would hardly be worth there time with Only SelecTV showing them and with Optus TV shutting there operations next year all there will be left for Ovation is SelecTV hardly worth it for them.

[LeroyPatrol]

It looks like Ovation has been squeezed out of the market then Independant Entertainment seems to have other markets for this kind of programming so hopefully they can still keep providing content. What a tough industry to be in with Foxtel as a competitor!

Leroy

[gordon_s1942]

I am sure that if Ovation had the controling power it would treat Foxtel/Austar no differently as there are no 'MATES' in business.
They may appear all Happy Chappies smiling and backslapping at staged functions but they all wear Bullet Proof vests and carry long bladed knives ready to be used at a moments notice.
I dont watch the Ovation channel to a great extent but I am sorry to see its fortunes so changed.
Neither SBS or ABC are 'Mickey Mouse' channels when they put their mind to it so I hope SBS can live up to its promises regarding its replacement of Ovation.

[bambbbam]

<didn't see that others had already pointed this out, so deleting>

[pheggie]

SBS & Foxtel have announced a new joint venture Arts channel.

It will be in the same channel position as Ovation & be part of the same packages(s) that Ovation was.

Will it be called the F-ART-S channel for the arty farty

[earlsdon]

I received the following email from Ovation this morning.........

..............................................

To Ovation's army of loyal viewers:

Unfortunately, Ovation has been advised that the Channel will not be carried on Foxtel or Austar from the end of March next year.

Ovation is to be replaced by a new arts channel designed by SBS to specifically attract a younger, more affluent male audience.

There are not many channels on Foxtel that cater for the mature, thoughtful audience such as yourselves. In fact, Ovation has sought out specialist programming designed as much as possible for your unique passions, and varied interests.

Foxtel and Austar have many groups of movies, documentaries, lifestyle, news and children's channels. Why not two Arts channels?

We believe Ovation would happily compliment the proposed SBS channel, and hope that we can rely on your support to assist us in our efforts to keep the channel on air.

To express your disappointment with this decision and to lobby for the continuation of Ovation - in addition to the proposed new arts channel - on the FOXTEL and AUSTAR platforms, please contact:

FOXTEL
Email: enquiries@foxtel.com.au
(Feel free to CC Ovation Channel - info@ovationchannel.com)
Phone: 131 999

AUSTAR
Email: Click here to use contact form on Austar website
(Note: select 'General Enquiries' from 'Enquiry Type' dropdown-menu)
Phone: 132 432

Also, we would appreciate your feedback. Our email address is: info@ovationchannel.com



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[viewer]

My reply from Austar,

Thanks for your email, and let me firstly apologise for the delay in getting back to you.

We understand that some may miss Ovation, however SBS is creating an Arts Channel that will delight those who currently watch Ovation. The new channel will include programming similar to that which is currently found on Ovation and will broaden that existing programming to include new content that will engage the audience in new ways.

Current Ovation viewers will find many of their favourite types of programming within the zones of ‘Arts & Entertainment’, ‘Performing Arts’, ‘Contemporary Music’ and ‘Classical Music’. We expect programming to be re-energized with innovative acquisitions while retaining elements that make these genres popular.

Programming is currently being acquired that includes the following:

- Content for a featured timeslot for ‘Popular Classics’ – Andre Rieu, Helmut Lotti, Il Divo and Patrizio Buanne. This line-up will offer both old favourites and brand new offerings from these artists and many more.

- Classical music buffs will be given a comprehensive offering of music content that will rival the best line-up of classical music on television.

- A wide range of music that will satisfy contemporary music fans including concerts and performances from the likes of Neil Diamond, Sting, David Campbell, Dire Straits, Elvis and many, many more.

- A special slot on weekend afternoons– the musical matinee. This slot will showcase the best of the Hollywood Musical in a timeslot suited to the audience.

We're sure that you will find the new SBS arts channel equally as entertaining as Ovation.

Thanks again for contacting us and I hope that you will continue to enjoy your AUSTAR .

[bodgie]

Lets hope SBS put this new channel on a transponder on D1 so that we can all enjoy it for free .

[Optima Collins]

Lets hope SBS put this new channel on a transponder on D1 so that we can all enjoy it for free .

Bodgie, I'd like to thinks so, but I won't hold my breath:

...SBS head of strategy and communications Bruce Meagher said no taxpayer funds were being spent on the pay-TV channel, which would be funded from money retained in World Movies Channel operator PAN TV, which SBS bought out last month from Kerry Stokes and the Australian Radio Network.

Foxtel has advanced SBS some subscriber funding to meet initial start-up costs, after which the channel will be funded by subscriber and pay-TV advertising revenues.

The new SBS channel, which will have the same channel number and will be in the same subscriber package as Ovation, would aim to attract younger views and more male viewers.

It looks like SBS are creating a channel [...NB:now called Studio*...] for PayTV purposes. I hope this isn't the start/continuation of some trend by SBS to move the "good stuff" over to a pay platform (World Movies/Studio Channel) and leave the scraps to the tax payer.

I rather like SBS, although I liked it even more when it was commercial free, however, I can understand the forces of finance at work. I just hope that those forces don't cloud the judgment of management too far.


OC


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