Binge (or whatever the streaming service is called) will only be viable if the $15 monthly fee includes a HD option.
There is a psychological benefit to having a low entry price ($9.99) to get attention then customers buying up.
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I think Foxtel might have been waiting until they nailed down what content would be on Binge?
It appears that Binge will have a bigger library and be better value that the Foxtel Now Pop and Drama pack I have now. If if is, I will be dropping Now and signing up for Binge.
Will the live linear tv channels be available on this service?
I don’t think we know yet. However, I have found that Foxtel Now can sometimes have the latest episode of a series before it is played on the channel, eg. the last episode of Outlander last week was available on Now about an hour before it was shown on Fox One. I’d much prefer to watch shows on-demand than watch the channel, unless it’s a live program of course.
It is quite typical of Foxtel though. They are really expensive - even Kayo. There will be months where I watch nothing on Stan and I pay the $14 a month for it. But I don’t get rid of the service. However, because I know Kayo is much more expensive if I know I won’t watch anything for a month or so I will get rid of the service.
I think Foxtel would be wiser making their services cheaper to keep the viewers subscribed all year round rather than getting for a month and getting rid of it the following.
Expensive in comparison to what though? I’d argue that Foxtel Now and Kayo arent directly comparable to the likes of Netflix and Stan. A Binge offering in the $10-$20 range will make it competitive against comparable services.
You’re not going to stop people service switching - especially now that the content is so fragmented.
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This is a strategy that Foxtel have been using for a little while - especially for bigger shows where its available for streaming before its linear debut.
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Maybe I am talking more about myself. I don’t stress too much about $10 a month. But if something is over $20 I do think about the cost. I would have likely kept Kayo during Cricket season if it can been around the $15 a month mark.
I understand how you don’t think it might be comparable but to me spending $25 a month is expensive when I already have other streaming services. Netflix, Stan and Spotify are expenses that have just become normal to me. Perhaps Kayo could have had the same effect if it was cheaper. Foxtel is notoriously expensive. I am not the only one that thinks that. I have never had Foxtel Now but from all accounts its basically Foxtel but a catch up service? I just think what Foxtel has to offer is similar to what FTA and Streaming services have to offer. Does it need to be that expensive when they also get money for advertising? Lower your prices like other countries do.
You could probably compare Sky in the UK to Foxtel. It is quite rare to see people without Sky in the UK. That is because it was cheaper in price.
For 25 pound a month (roughly $45) you could get Sky which includes Netflix. That is probably what you can compare it to.
This is one of the issues with psychological pricing practices - many people determine the value only on the price paid and offerings at higher price points are often perceived to be less value on cost alone. This isn’t exclusive to streaming services either, it’s becoming a greater issue across a wide range of offerings (mobile app pricing is an area where you see it all the time)
Services like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime are also able to get prices low due to a number of factors, their ability to negotiate deals across multiple countries, the fact they own a large portion of the content, low overheads - Foxtel is at a significant disadvantage here, they don’t produce a large portion of the content they will have on the new service and have had to spend big to secure content
One of the advantages that streaming has is that you are only committed for the period that you’ve purchased (and the business models of the streaming companies factor this in) - swapping out Netflix for another service because the content is a bit crap on Netflix (for instance) or there is something you want to watch on another service is easy.
It’s closer to a subscription service delivered by the Internet (rather then Satellite or Cable) then to a streaming service like Netflix/Stan
For their normal service (and even for Foxtel Now), I dont disagree
I’m not sold that its solely on price - content plays a big part in it. Sky were able to get strong content (especially around sport) early on, whereas here that was limited.
Sky’s entry package (Sky Signature) is normally 30 quid a month - they discount it heavily (to get to 25 quid with Netflix) for an 18 month commitment. Foxtel’s equivalent (Foxtel Plus, with Netflix) is $A61/month without a long term contract
But isn’t this the whole point? Wouldn’t it be better to have people sign on to Kayo for 12 months at $15 a month than at $25 a month for 6 moths a year? Lowering the price might stop the canceling. As I have said Netflix and Stan are services I haven’t got rid of because of this very reason.
The price I googled earlier was 25 pound a month. For new customers it was 20. But this also includes Netflix. So that is a LOT cheaper than Foxtel. Does Foxtel include Netflix these days?
EDIT: I googled it does for Foxtel Plus.
Personally, I still think paying for Kayo and Binge 12 months a year is too expensive for me. I will get Kayo when the demand is there again for sports. But I won’t be wasting my money on Binge at this stage if it is hitting $15 a month (more than the other streaming services).
Is it sustainable to operate at $15/m? As a sports fan, I think $25/m is great value - it costs me more to buy tickets to go to the football or the Cricket (and that doesnt include the other costs associated with going) and I get access to hundreds of hours of Live content (obviously not at the moment)
This is Sky’s entry bundle:
You only get the 25/m if you are willing to make an 18 month commitment - Foxtel’s price doesnt change on their entry package, but you can get better value with a 12 month commitment on their Drama/Sports offering (that also include Netflix)
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Do you keep Kayo all year round though?
Yes
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My first attempt at typing in Binge.com.au lead me to Bing.com.au.
It’s wild that they couldn’t get the real domain but stuck with the name.
That is good and there are obviously going to be a few. Just for me I find $25 a month to be expensive when I don’t use it for the month. But again maybe I am in the minority. To me it is expensive.
The only thing Kayo has in common with Netflix, Stan and the rest is that it’s a streaming service. Otherwise, it is miles apart with content, features and target audience. It’s absolutely worth the $25/month for what you get.
I just wish they did a deal with Tabcorp and added the Sky Racing channels.
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Foxtel has revealed that the service will offer more than 10,000 hours of the best local and international drama and movies.
Think there’s a major problem with Binge already and it hasn’t even been launched yet alone properly announced. I don’t understand why Foxtel has decided to narrow the service’s scope to just offer drama and movies content whilst completely excluding things like entertainment and comedy shows. The appeal of services like Netflix, Stan, Prime Video, etc is they offer something for pretty much everyone from those who want to watch the latest dramas to those who want to rewatch a classic comedy series. Yet Foxtel for some reason seemingly wants Binge not to be an attractive proposition to the broadest range of potential subscribers possible.
I just don’t grapse the logic behind such a move. Foxtel have made a big song and dance when doing their various output deals over the last 18 months about how those deals gives them the ability to offer programs via a potential SVOD service. However, it seems like they’re not going to take full advantage of the rights they have. Might be proven otherwise when the full details of ‘Binge’ are announced but based on today’s teaser, it feels like Foxtel might be making the same mistakes they made with Presto all over again
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I didn’t pick that up. So for instance it my just have the BBC’s drama and sitcoms while the panel and lifestyle shows are only on Foxtel Now.
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I think they must have rushed everything through to take advantage of everyone being stuck at home during the pandemic, but all they’ve ended up doing is launching a half-baked product just as everything is starting to go back to normal!
They may well end up being worse off in the end if that’s how they’re going about it.
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