They should rename Sky News Election Channel to Sky News International or something.
I’ve always thought the names should be simplified:
Sky News
Sky Business
Sky Weather
Sky Parliament (APAC)
Sky World (Election)
That said - and I know I’m in the minority - I think in time we will see the Sky News brand disappear to be replaced by a new brand for news.com.au and Sky News.
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I thought they always need to use “Sky News” due to Sky Racing channel owning the ‘Sky’ name? Which says to me, ANC would be the best name, or News.com.au as the channel name - even with it being odd.
I dont think they’ll rename the channel (at least in the short term)
#foxtel 2017
In what promises to be the most stellar line up of entertainment on Australian television, Foxtel has unveiled its 2017 roster, featuring an array of live sports, international and local dramas, blockbuster movie titles, brand new kids shows and the best in factual content and news.
Foxtel’s Australian and international drama proposition for 2017 is simply outstanding.
On January 1, Foxtel begins its new, long term and exclusive partnership with HBO, the world’s most prolific, most awarded producers and broadcasters of quality drama, comedy and documentary programming.
In 2017 and beyond, Foxtel will be the home of HBO in Australia and will be the only place to see every HBO series first, including new series of Game of Thrones (broadcast at the same time as the US), Girls, Ballers, Divorce, Westworld and the multi award winning Veep. Next year Foxtel will debut premiere HBO content including new dramas Big Little Lies and Crashing – and every program will be available to stream in full. The new deal with HBO also means that the entire back catalogue from the studio – every series from Oz and The Wire, through to The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Sex and The City and all seasons of the global hit Game Of Thrones will be available to subscribers.
Foxtel will also feature an extensive range of dramas from other major international producers, many showing express from the US, such as The Affair, Ray Donovan, The Walking Dead, Orange Is The New Black, The Exorcist, The Americans, Nashville, Shameless and Outlander.
Foxtel’s other major drama partner BBC will premiere an impressive array of event drama series, including Taboo with Tom Hardy, SS-GB starring Sam Riley and Kate Bosworth and the highly anticipated sequel to Jane Campion’s award winning, Top Of The Lake, starring Elisabeth Moss, Gwendoline Christie and featuring Nicole Kidman.
In what promises to be another memorable year for Australian drama, the popular Wentworth and A Place To Call Home are back in new seasons, along with the provocative movie feature, Australia Day, starring Bryan Brown, Shari Sebbens and Matthew Le Nevez. Also slated is the highly anticipated event mini series Picnic At Hanging Rock.
Foxtel’s signature success stories, The Real Housewives of Melbourne, Grand Designs Australia, Selling Houses Australia, Gogglebox Australia, Coast Australia, The Great Australian Bake Off, Crimes That Shook Australia and Stage & Screen, will all be back in new seasons.
Foxtel’s Executive Director of Television, Brian Walsh said: “Foxtel is passionate about storytelling and we continue to look for those quality productions which meet the audience appetite for Australian stories and tell them in an impactful and meaningful way.
“Our commitment will fund new Australian productions including the event dramas, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Australia Day, factual titles Lawless: The Real Bushrangers, Court Justice, Demolition Man and The Real Housewives of Sydney, to name a few.
“Foxtel is the leader in the lifestyle genre and in 2017 viewers will see new programs Love It Or List It Australia, Common Sense, and Great Australian Cookbook. We will celebrate the entertainment industry with awards programming including the CMC Awards, the Helpmanns, the American Music Awards, the BAFTAS, International AACTAs, the Tonys and the Emmys.”
Best sports and best for news from Australia and around the globe
With an unrivalled sport offering including 17 dedicated high definition sports channels with hours of LIVE sports Foxtel is the indisputable home of sport in Australia.
From now until at least 2022 Foxtel will have every match of every round of both the AFL and the NRL, LIVE and ad-break free during play.
Foxtel has the best football offering in the country delivered reliably on our three world-class beIN SPORTS channels as well as three English football club channels from Chelsea, Liverpool FC and Manchester United broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week; plus FOX SPORTS broadcasts three English football club programming blocks from Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. FOX SPORTS also has LIVE coverage of every match of the Hyundai A-League competition.
In 2017 FOX SPORTS will launch a dedicated 24/7 Rugby League channel providing fans with more coverage than ever before. A week long line-up of programs will keep viewers entertained and informed, with FOX SPORTS delivering every game of the regular season and Finals in September LIVE, with no ad-breaks during play and in high definition. The most comprehensive pre, half and post-match coverage will complement LIVE action from Thursday to Sunday spearheaded by the country’s best commentary team.
Foxtel will broadcast the inaugural AFL Women’s League on FOX FOOTY. The NAB AFL Women’s Competition will commence on Friday February 3 in Melbourne and FOX FOOTY will televise every match of the home & away season LIVE and ad-break free during play.
There is amazing coverage of motor sports with every Formula 1, Supercars and Moto GP race, rugby union, golf and so much more.
Walsh continued: “Our investment in sport means Australians have access to thousands of hours of sport that otherwise would never have been seen on television. Our news service includes five Australian SKY NEWS channels providing up-to-the-minute coverage on local and global events with special programming for elections and political priorities.
“At Foxtel, we’re looking forward to a bigger and better year in 2017 with more choice from the widest selection of content partners to bring the best of the world’s news, sport and entertainment to Australians – and in today’s globalised world – our subscribers expect nothing less.”
Best for movies
Foxtel currently provides over 1200 of the hottest movies on demand, anytime, and ad-break free, plus the big new releases and all-time favourites available to rent from our Store. Foxtel hosts pop-up channel events showing all the films from favourite movie franchises in back-to-back marathons, with new pop-up movie channels launching in 2017. These “pop ups” will include a dedicated 007 channel, featuring every James Bond movie ever made, a Batman vs Superman channel, an X–Men channel and more.
Featured theatrical titles over the coming summer on FOXTEL Store & Box Office include The Secret Life Of Pets, Jason Bourne, Suicide Squad, Inferno and Jack Reacher.
Best for families
The Foxtel Kids Pack has 17 times more new kids shows than our competitors had last year and in 2017 will welcome SLIME CUP, Mighty Magiswords, Mickey and the Roadstar Races and many more from the world’s best kid’s channels.
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##Australian productions on Foxtel in 2017
###New productions
Australia Day – Foxtel Movies
Foxtel’s commitment to original drama continues with the bold new feature film Australia Day, co- produced with Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning producers Hoodlum. Bryan Brown leads a stellar cast with Shari Sebbens (The Sapphires) Sean Keenan (Glitch), Matthew Le Nevez (The Kettering Incident, Offspring) Daniel Webber, Elias Anton, Jenny Wu, Isabelle Cornish, Phoenix Raei and rising star 14-year-old Miah Madden. Acclaimed director Kriv Stenders (Red Dog, A Place To Call Home) directs writer Stephen M. Irwin’s (Secrets & Lies) gripping and unpredictable
script. Set in Brisbane over 12 hours, Australia Day explores the lives of three Australians from diverse backgrounds whose different worlds collide, illuminating contemporary issues that simmer beneath the surface of modern Australia. The heartfelt drama interweaves these three stories and highlights the aspirations of everyday Australians on the most controversial national holiday, Australia Day. Powerful, thought-provoking, and ultimately uplifting, Australia Day will be released in cinemas in 2017 and have its Australian television premiere on Foxtel.
Picnic at Hanging Rock – showcase
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a six-part drama re-imagining the timeless Australian novel by Joan Lindsay. With provocative explorations of the underlying themes of gender, control, identity and burgeoning sexuality, the drama will plunge viewers into the mysterious disappearance of three schoolgirls and their governess on Valentine’s Day 1900 and the secrets this event lays bare in its wake. Picnic at Hanging Rock is a FremantleMedia Australia production for Foxtel.
Top of the Lake – BBC First
Elisabeth Moss, Gwendoline Christie and Nicole Kidman star in the second season of the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Top of The Lake from Oscar winner Jane Campion. Moss (Mad Men) reprises her Golden Globe-winning role as Detective Robin Griffin, in the second series of the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated Top Of The Lake for BBC First and Foxtel from See-Saw Films. Set in Sydney, Top Of The Lake season 2 is a crime mystery story that begins four years on from the explosive ending of the first season. When the unidentified body of an Asian girl washes up onto Sydney’s Bondi Beach the case seems hopeless – until detective Robin Griffin discovers that ‘China Girl’ didn’t die alone. Also joining the cast for the six-part season two are David Dencik (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures) and Ewen Leslie (The Daughter).
The Great Australian Cookbook – Lifestyle FOOD
Lifestyle FOOD takes you on an adventure around the country to meet the nation’s culinary legends. Over 10 episodes, The Great Australian Cookbook highlights our best chefs cooking their favourite dishes for the people they love most. The series features 25 of our top chefs and cooks including Darren Robertson and Magdalena Roze as they share their joy and love for food – with the recipes that are closest to their own hearts: the special dishes they cook for their family, friends and staff. They also let us into their homes as they reveal the stories behind those favourite dishes, whether it’s the treasured family recipe handed down over generations that inspired their own stellar career, or the tried and true simple crowd pleaser the kids can’t get enough of. We also meet our unsung local Aussie heroes – the CWA baking champion, the bush tucker expert, plus fishermen, farmers and pastry cooks. From Alice Springs to Bruny Island, Freemantle to Far North Queensland, The Great Australian Cookbook is an affectionate culinary snapshot of the food Australians love to cook, eat and enjoy.
Common Sense – Lifestyle
From the creators of the global phenomenon Gogglebox comes Common Sense – a highly entertaining new format launching on Foxtel’s Lifestyle and Network Ten in 2017. Produced by EndemolShine Australia, Common Sense will feature a cast of real people and their real opinions as they round up the week’s most talked about news topics in conversation with one another in their workplace. From general news and current affairs to the latest in politics, sport and popular culture. Common Sense will bring genuine and immediate reactions that collectively highlight the nation’s unfiltered take and different points of view on the best talking points that week. Drawing from newspapers, radio, magazines and websites, Common Sense will tackle every topic that shouldn’t be talked about at dinner parties, and filter the news of the week into an informative, insightful and entertaining hour. Common Sense is the second jointly commissioned series between Foxtel and Network Ten, and follows on from the enormous success of Gogglebox, which debuted in Australia in 2015.
Love It Or List It - Lifestyle
Hillary Clinton’s favourite show – Love It Or List It – is another new local addition to the Lifestyle family in which homeowners have to decide between keeping their newly renovated home, and selling it. With the associated costs of moving, along with the emotional toll it can have, sometimes it’s easier and more economical to stay put. What happens though when a house has been outgrown, or has just become old-fashioned or a little unloved? Enter our property expert and interior designer. The former will try and find “list it” options while the latter will transform the current property with tight budgets, often recycling items already in the house, and try to persuade the owners to “love it” once again. Already a hit in Canada, USA and the UK, the all-Australian version of the show will be produced by Beyond Productions exclusively for Foxtel’s Lifestyle.
The Real Housewives of Sydney – Arena
The highly anticipated, glamorous reality series, The Real Housewives of Sydney, features seven charismatic and engaging Housewives who enjoy the extravagant, stylish and cosmopolitan lifestyle of Sydney. Between them they run successful companies, travel the world in luxury, attend the most exclusive parties and are the matriarchs of their million dollar mansions. All women are fascinating in their own right and when put together create a diverse mix of magic and mayhem. The Real Housewives of Sydney are; artistic, free spirit AthenaX Levendi; energetic ex-model turned real estate agent Krissy Marsh; funny, opinionated mother of two Lisa Oldfield; cosmetic nurse and beauty expert of Sydney Matty Samaei; triple threat, actress, model, singer Melissa Tkautz; photogenic party planner and former Miss Australia Nicole O’Neil; and last but not least, entrepreneurial mum and social scene queen Victoria
Rees. The ten-part series is produced by Matchbox Pictures in conjunction with Foxtel and premieres early 2017 on Arena.
Pacific Heat – COMEDY
Foxtel’s new local comedy commission, Pacific Heat, is Australia’s first adult animation, and the latest comedy from the award-winning Working Dog team of Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch and Michael Hirsh. Set on the glitzy, glamorous Gold Coast, a sun-drenched paradise where sun and surf meet soaring crime rates, the 13-part series is based on the exploits of an undercover special police unit known as “Pacific Heat”. Unconventional, uncompromising and with an arrest rate second to none, the “Pacific Heat” team is not afraid to operate outside the law – provided at least one of them is wearing a fluorescent safety vest. Special Agent Todd Sommerville (voiced by Rob Sitch) is a cop unconcerned with bending the rules; Special Agent Zac Valentic (voiced by Santo Cilauro) is the tough man of the team; and The Chief (voiced by Tom Gleisner) has seen it all. Special Agents Maddie Riggs (voiced by Rebecca Massey) and Veronica “V.J.” Delane (voiced by Lucia Mastrantone) combine the brains and beauty of the team.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? – COMEDY
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia adds a local twist to the world-famous improvisational led by series’ host Tommy Little. Comedy superstar Rhys Darby is joined by festival favourites Cal Wilson, Tegan Higginbotham and Susie Youssef, along with world-class improviser Steen Raskopoulos, and exciting newcomers Bridie Connell and Tom Walker. Four of the cast will perform together in each episode’s improv sketches with no-one knowing where the sketches will end up. The performers are forced to get themselves into insane situations with improv challenges often demanding song and dance but most importantly, jokes. Energetic and unpredictable, it’s Whose Line but not as you’ve seen it before. The ten-part series was filmed in front of a live audience in Melbourne exclusively for Foxtel and executive produced by Kevin Whyte, Guesswork Television, and Craig Campbell, +61 TV.
Lawless: The Real Bushrangers – HISTORY
This four-part HISTORY channel documentary series unearths the truth behind Australia’s legendary bushrangers. Australian colonial history is full of stories of violent murders and gun toting mayhem, foundation tales of those that make and break the law. From the birth of the Ned Kelly legend to the violent death of Ben Hall, these pivotal events are often shrouded in mystery and folklore. Now Mike Munro, Australia’s own television icon returns to our screens to present a ground-breaking series examining these stories like never before. For the first time on television, a specialist team, accompanied by living descendants, investigates the legends of these rebels and the people who fought against them using the full force of modern day science. Lawless: The Real Bushrangers combines cinematic re-enactments and high-end graphics together with a specialist team of highly credible experts, historians, archaeologists and forensic scientists. This series will take you on a remarkable journey to uncover new evidence, deliver new insights and reveal some deeply inconvenient truths in a series that will change how Australians see their folk heroes – and themselves. Lawless: The Real Bushrangers is produced by Genepool Productions.
Demolition Man – A&E
Join Lawrie Voutier the demolition man and his crew of misfits, big trucks and excavators as they smash, crash and bash everything from heritage mansions to industrial warehouses for cash. Don’t be fooled, Lawrie’s not just a demolition man, he’s also a treasure hunter. He salvages stuff that would otherwise end up at the tip, finding rare items which he’s accumulated into one of the world’s best collections, worth millions. Ripping down buildings means ripping down history and amongst that history there’s always something to be salvaged (as long as you can recognise it) for big money. From vintage cars to a bucket of roofing screws, Lawrie has found it all – in, under and around these building. Lawrie’s a master negotiator, and it’s his job that is part precision chaos, part treasure hunt and every job is unique with its own set of dangers and potential for hidden gold. What he finds he drags back to his shop to sell, and he knows how to sell it for a quid. Demolition Man is produced by CJZ for Foxtel’s A&E.
Men of Wood & Foam – HISTORY
This is the story of the pioneers of the Australian surfboard industry known affectionately as the Brookvale Mafia. Through the stories of these Aussie pioneers we’ll trace the roots of the modern Australian surfboard, from fine-tuning the toothpick for wave riding in the 40s through to the arrival of the Malibu chip, the development of the Okanui in the 50s and the peroxide surf boom of the early 60s. The exclusive one-hour documentary that uncovers a golden decade in surfing, starting in 1956, when surfing was transformed into a sport and culture with its very own music, movies, fashion and heroes. Underpinning this exciting transformation was a small group of artisans who started out in the 1950s making wooden surfboards in their backyards along Sydney’s eastern beaches, before eventually moving to Brookvale where they experimented with “blowing foam” to make lighter and more responsive surfboards from plastics. Featuring in-depth interviews with all members of The Brookvale Six: Gordon Woods, Bill Wallace, Scott Dillon, Danny Keogh, Greg McDonagh and Barry Bennett, leading surfers including Layne Beachley, Nat Young and the late Midget Farrelly, famous faces from the time including Patricia ‘Little Pattie’ Amphlett; as well as rare archival surfing footage spanning seven decades and detailed re-enactment scenes, Men of Wood & Foam explores a truly iconic time in Australian sporting and cultural history. Men of Wood & Foam is produced by Backbeach Pictures and Panga Productions.
Court Justice – Sydney – CI
For the first time on Australian television, cameras are allowed inside Australia’s busiest local court complex – The Downing Centre in Sydney. This observational documentary series gives viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the daily dramas facing the Magistrates as they hear all kinds of cases from drug possession and drink driving, to assault, theft, fraud and vandalism. The range of human stories is as broad as society itself. Defendants are rich and poor, young and old, serial offenders and first timers. The only constant is that they are all equal in the eyes of the law. When the magistrates pass their final judgments, lives change forever. Produced by CJZ.
###Returning in 2017
A Place To Call Home - showcase
It is 1958 and four years have passed since we left Sarah and the Bligh family. Those four years have seen ever increasing changes in Australian society. The world of wealth and privilege is being eroded, moral values are fraying and a new young generation rises full of disaffection with the world of their elders. To them the War is a matter of the dead past, bringing conflict with those who suffered its pain and deprivation. Economic change and the devious actions of unseen enemies threaten Ash Park. Friends become bitter rivals and former enemies become unlikely allies. And in the midst of the turmoil, love becomes the only sure place anyone can call home. Stars Marta Dusseldorp and Noni Hazlehurst. A Place to Call Home is produced by Seven Productions for Foxtel.
Wentworth – showcase
Wentworth returns for a fifth season, resuming the story in the days following Bea Smith’s tragic death at the hands of Joan Ferguson. Emotional, psychological and professional shockwaves pound the inmates and staff of Wentworth prison. Vera (Kate Atkinson) is under fire from Corrective Services and, with Will (Robbie Magasiva) on suspension, she is relying more on her deputy Jake (Bernard Curry), not realising he is now Ferguson’s (Pamela Rabe) puppet. New Top Dog Kaz (Tammy MacIntosh) has a challenge to restore order amongst the traumatised inmates, though Sonia (Sigrid Thornton) remains aloof focusing on her upcoming trial. On the outside, it falls to Franky (Nicole da Silva) to break the devastating news to Allie (Kate Jenkinson). The bold and confronting drama also stars 2016 TV WEEK Logie Award-winner for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress Celia Ireland as Liz, Shareena Clanton as Doreen, Katrina Milosevic as Boomer and Socratis Otto as Maxine. Wentworth is a FremantleMedia Australia production. It is Foxtel’s longest running Australia drama, with a devoted fan base here and in 141 territories around the world.
The Great Australian Bake Off – Lifestyle FOOD
On your marks, get set…bake! Judged by culinary icon Maggie Beer and acclaimed chef Matt Moran, and hosted by comedians Claire Hooper and Mel Buttle, a third season of The Great Australian Bake Off will return to Lifestyle FOOD in 2017. The Great Australian Bake Off is a 10-part series that follows 12 home-baking enthusiasts as they are put through a series of intricate elimination challenges, baking a mouthwatering selection of cakes, pies, tarts, pastries, bread, biscuits and desserts, all in the hope of being crowned Australia’s Best Home Baker. The Bake Off franchise began in 2010 with The Great British Bake Off, where it remains, after six seasons, a ratings phenomenon. The format has been produced locally in the US, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Poland, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine and France, as well as previously in Australia for the Nine Network in 2013. The Great Australian Bake Off is a FremantleMedia Australia production for Foxtel based on a format created by Love Productions, distributed by BBC Worldwide and broadcast by the BBC in the United Kingdom.
Selling Houses Australia – Lifestyle
Selling Houses Australia, subscription television’s record breaking, ASTRA award winning property show, marks a major milestone as it returns for its tenth season. Celebrating its 100th episode, the much-loved trio of host Andrew Winter, interior designer Shaynna Blaze and landscape designer Charlie Albone, will tackle a dilapidated building for a very good cause. Meeting characters from the building’s past while transforming it into a future residence, emotions will run high as the auction hammer falls. Across the country, whether the housing market is growing or slowing, real estate dominates the headlines and Australians have a keen interest in property, whether they’re first home buyers or investors, upsizing or downsizing. With Selling Houses Australia there’s the chance to learn from this A-team’s expertise and experience as it travels the country leaving a wake of more saleable houses. Selling Houses Australia is produced by Beyond Productions exclusively for Foxtel’s Lifestyle.
Gogglebox Australia – Lifestyle
The hit local-production, Gogglebox Australia continues to impress with the past two seasons securing the most watched spot for subscription television on Wednesdays. The TV WEEK Logie Award-winning show about people watching television takes viewers into 11 Australian lounge rooms to capture the often hilarious and heart-warming
reactions of some of the country’s most opinionated and avid television viewers. The much-loved Gogglebox households include best mates and larrikins, Adam & Symon; bubbly Greek best friends, Anastasia & Faye; cocktail-loving, Wayne & Tom; the sportscrazy Jackson Family; the fun-loving and cricket-mad, Delpechitra Family; vivacious
friends and housemates, Angie & Yvie; Indigenous art dealers, Mick & Di; the close-knit Dalton Family; the happily married couple, Lee & Keith; the three generations of women in the The Silbery Family; and old high school acquaintances and housemates, Zina & Vivian. Jointly commissioned by Foxtel and Network Ten, and produced by Endemol Shine Australia, Gogglebox airs first on Lifestyle, and then on Ten the following night.
Grand Designs Australia – Lifestyle
The top-rating Grand Designs Australia, hosted by leading Australian architect Peter Maddison, once again brings the characters, the houses and the stories together in an insightful season of inspiration and appreciation when it returns for its seventh season. This all-Australian version of the highly respected global format showcases Australia’s most elaborate home designs and follows homeowners as they embark on building ambitious properties. The series captures the tremendous diversity of the house, its construction, and the way we live. From the concept, design, materials, technology to logistics, timelines, budgets and personalities, multiple factors come into play as ideas and visions take form and come to life. This beautifully produced series creates a highly watchable narrative of homeowners and their universal dream of making a concept house their home. Grand Designs Australia is produced by FremantleMedia Australia, exclusively for Foxtel’s Lifestyle.
The Real Housewives of Melbourne – Arena
Melbourne’s most fascinating, scintillating and infamous Housewives are gearing up for more high-end drama and over-the-top luxury when The Real Housewives of Melbourne returns for season four. This entertaining soap-doc provides an insider view of the lifestyles of Melbourne’s most wealthy and extravagant women with a revealing insight into their world. Casting is currently underway for the fourth season which will once again be produced by Matchbox Pictures in conjunction with Foxtel.
7th Annual CMC Music Awards – CMC
CMC, Australia’s only destination for country music television, will broadcast The 7th Annual CMC Music Awards LIVE and hosted by Australia’s own Morgan Evans. The CMC Music Awards attract country music’s biggest names and are the only viewer voted country music awards in the southern hemisphere, giving fans the opportunity to vote for their favourite Australian and international country artists over eight categories. The 7th Annual CMC Music Awards will feature a stellar line-up of first class international and local artists performing live at the awards. 2017 marks the third year the CMC Awards have been held in Queensland thanks to the partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland with the awards part of the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar, showcasing Australia’s best live events in spectacular destinations.
Stage & Screen – Foxtel Arts
Australia’s diverse and thriving arts scene is covered with weekly arts guide and review program Stage & Screen hosted by Deborah Hutton. Each week Deborah is joined by regular presenters, Australian iconic movie reviewer Margaret Pomeranz, legendary television critic Graeme Blundell, Australian cultural figure Leo Schofield and one of the country’s foremost arts writers Chris Hook from The Daily Telegraph, who provide viewers a snapshot and their critical insights of what’s on show, where and when across theatre, music, opera, dance, visual art, film and television. Stage & Screen features unique interviews with arts luminaries and the star performers of cinema, television and the live performing arts, offering insight into the diverse offerings and talent that exists right across the Australian arts and culture landscape.
Coast Australia – History
Foxtel’s hugely successful factual series Coast Australia, presented by internationally renowned British archaeologist and television presenter Neil Oliver, returns for season three. Each episode of the new season will showcase a different strip of Australia’s spectacular coastline over eight one-hour episodes, as Neil and his team of co-presenters gather stories about the history, the people, the archaeology, the geography and the marine life. The regions explored this season include Port Lincoln, Botany Bay, Portland, Esperance, King Island, Newcastle, Far North Queensland and North Kimberley. Throughout the series, Neil will again be joined by some of Australia’s leading experts in their field: palaeontologist Professor Tim Flannery, historian Dr Alice Garner, marine ecologist Professor Emma Johnston and landscape architect Brendan Moar, as well as brand new co-presenter Australian marine scientist, journalist, filmmaker and global adventurer, Dr Dean Miller. Coast is produced by Great Southern Film & Television.
Nickelodeon’s Slime Cup – Nickelodeon
In 2017, Nickelodeon Australia is turning up the slime-o-meter and bringing another awesome season of its biggest local adventure series SLIME CUP to Aussie kids. The series will bring MORE slime, teams and mind-blowing challenges than ever before in the history of Nickelodeon Australia. The SLIME SQUAD will push teams to their limits with the craziest challenges they can come up with, including the dreaded bug-eating and Stank Tank. In their race to win the “Guardians of Slime” title and some amazing prizes, teams will have to have the speed, smarts and stomachs of steel to make it through to the Grand Final! Now in its second year, SLIME CUP combines all the elements which Australian kids love in Nickelodeon’s long-standing properties such as Camp Orange and SLIMEFEST. The series invites kids from across Australia and New Zealand to team up with their best friend and vie for a place in the uniquely slimy competition.
Shots fired across Macquarie Park…
Foxtel welcomes court decision on online piracy site blocking
First step in pirate site blocking will see The Pirate Bay, Torrentz, Torrent Hound, IsoHunt and SolarMovie blocked by Australia’s largest ISPs
Foxtel today welcomed the Federal Court’s decisions to block five of the largest online piracy sites using legislation passed by the Parliament in 2015.
The Copyright Act now gives copyright owners and exclusive licensees the ability to seek injunctions against ISPs ordering them to block access to overseas-based sites that infringe or facilitate copyright infringement.
Foxtel Chief Executive, Peter Tonagh, said, “Piracy does great damage to Australia’s content creating industries and we were delighted that the Government and Parliament recognised this by passing these new legislative provisions last year.
“This judgment is a major step in both directly combating piracy and educating the public that accessing content through these sites is not OK, in fact it is theft.
“We are playing our part to reduce the attractiveness of piracy by making content available in a timely manner, at different price points, and on multiple devices and. More broadly, the content creation industries will continue to educate the public on the harm piracy does and how to get access to content in a legitimate manner.
“This judgement gives us another tool to fight the international criminals who seek to profit from the hard work of actors, writers, directors and other creators the world over.
“We have already seen successful implementation of similar site blocking efforts overseas and are looking forward to a reduction in online piracy here.”
The press release neglects to say Foxtel will have to pay a fee in order for ISPs to block illegal piracy sites. Part of Justice Nicholas’ ruling as published by ZDNet says:
The applicants (Foxtel and Roadshow Films) pay Telstra’s, Optus’, M2’s, and TPG’s compliance costs calculated at the rate of AU$50 per Domain Name the subject of DNS Blocking undertaken for the purposes of complying with order 2 hereof.
###New Foxtel Kids app launches today
Offers kids and families a safe place to stream and download their favourite shows on demand and ad-free
Foxtel today announced the launch of a new app designed with kids and families in mind. The new Foxtel Kids app arrives just in time for the summer holidays and provides a safe way for kids to stream their favourite programs, on-demand and ad-free, anytime.
The new app also features the ability for off-line viewing of downloaded content, which is ideal for long drives, flights or holidays spent away from internet connections.
Designed and developed in Australia, the Foxtel Kids app helps parents deal with some of the challenges that come with youngsters watching TV, including controlling screen time, managing what they watch and maintaining limits on data usage. Parents are able to set a limit on the time spent watching the app and can select classifications between G and PG ratings for age appropriate viewing. The Foxtel Kids app also offers uninterrupted ad-free viewing making it a safe and secure place for kids to enjoy the best in kids’ content Foxtel has to offer.
Deanne Weir, Foxtel’s Managing Director of Content Aggregation and Wholesale, said, “We’re delighted to bring our new Foxtel Kids app to Australian kids and families. After taking on board some great customer feedback coupled with our own research, we’ve designed what we think is the best app to keep kids entertained and parents informed; and, with the Christmas holidays just a few weeks away, it couldn’t come at a better time.”
The Foxtel Kids app also features a kid friendly design so young people are able to navigate to their favourite shows easily. The app is filled with a host of constantly updated content, to stream or download, from all of the major kids brands including, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, CBeebies, Discovery Kids, Cartoon Network and Boomerang, so they can catch up on their favourite episodes of Hey Duggee, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teen Titans Go!, Star Wars Rebels, Adventure Time, Paw Patrol and more.
The Foxtel Kids app is available for download from the App Store and Google Play. The Foxtel Kids app is available to Foxtel and Foxtel Play customers, who subscribe to the Foxtel Kids pack, at no extra charge.
The app can be registered to five devices and can be used simultaneously by two users. Downloaded programs are available to view for 31 days.
Posting here as it seems the most appropriate thread: Sky Racing 1 and Sky Racing 2 have rebranded as Sky1 and Sky2. Just noticed it while in a hotel tonight, not sure when this changed.
(Edit: Only the logos have changed, judging by Facebook the new branding was introduced a few weeks ago)
Was a few weeks back before the Melbourne Cup.
The current Sky 1/2 branding has been around since at least the start of October.
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Why the rebrand? Maybe they plan on showing more than just racing ie boxing?
Sky Racing 2 should be free for sports customers. No need to pay $5 per month just for one channel.
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I agree that they should never be offered separately. Sky regularly moves races between both channels due to last minute time constraints. If you’re following races from one meeting, it may start showing the races on Sky 1 but they could end up on Sky 2 as the day goes on and more meeting are started.
However, I think you’ll find the $5 per month fee for Sky 2 only applies to subscribers who don’t pay for the sports package, not those who do.
My apologies. It looks like they now charge on top of the sports package for Sky 2 and Sky TC. Must be a pretty recent change.
no it applies to everyone, even those with sports, as I have the sport package & cant access Sky 2, not that I watch Racing anyway.
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So much for spending money on a rebrand marketed at younger/non-enthusiast audiences. Why would they pay $5/mo extra?
Yes the “tel” part is now redundant. Perhaps they will rebrand to Foxten 
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I love the name Foxtel!
A rebrand/refresh would be good but hopefully they keep the name.
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