thanks for your help Euro 
Sharb Farjami to join Foxtel team
Foxtel today announced that Sharb Farjami will join its content and wholesale team as Director of Content Commercialisation.
Mr. Farjami most recently served as News Corp Australiaâs Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and its Director of National Sales following a role as Chief Operating Officer at Mindshare. He started his career in subscription television and has worked with Viacom in various commercial roles around the globe. He brings with him a keen understanding of the content and media industry and extensive experience managing the challenges of its constantly shifting landscape.
Foxtel is the Home of HBO
Foxtel today announced it has further strengthened its relationship with Hollywood heavyweight HBO, by entering into a new agreement that provides even more extensive rights to HBOâs library of incredible programming. The new rights arrangements are set to kick off from 1 January 2017.
The news elevates Foxtel to Australiaâs undisputed âHome of HBOâ; ensuring Foxtel has access to even more HBO dramas, comedies and documentaries. In addition to current seasons of HBO shows that air on Foxtel, customers will now be able to stream their favourite HBO series, past and present via Foxtel Anytime available on demand, all the time.
The new agreement continues Foxtelâs exclusive premiere offering of first run programs by HBO including films, miniseries, full seasons, comedy specials, documentaries and talk shows and now includes comprehensive on demand rights that remove any prior programming ârest periodsâ.
HBOâs programming has been a premium fixture for Foxtel subscribers, which has brought a host of internationally acclaimed content including Game of Thrones, The Night Of, The Jinx, The Wire, VEEP, The Sopranos, True Blood, Girls, The Leftovers, Six Feet Under, True Detective, Ballers, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Rome, Entourage, Eastbound and Down, Silicon Valley and more.
Season 6 of HBOâs Game of Thrones shattered viewership records on Foxtel with the final episode recording an overnight audience of 737,000 with the full season enjoying a cumulative average audience of more than 1.2 million viewers per episode.
The renewed partnership also comes as HBOâs highly anticipated reality bending drama, Westworld, is set to arrive. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, Westworld, based on the 1973 film, is a dark odyssey that looks at the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin and explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged. Westworld will air on Foxtel on Monday October 3 at 12pm AEDST, same time as the US only on showcase.
Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh said, âHBO is known for creating some of the most compelling, must-watch TV the world has ever seen and Foxtel and HBO have a shared legacy of bringing these incredible shows to Australian screens everywhere. Together, weâve recognised the changing ways subscribers are enjoying and re-enjoying their favourite series, and our newly strengthened relationship enables us to deliver our customers all of the amazing HBO stories they love, whenever and wherever they want.â
Charles Schreger, President of Programming Sales, HBO, said, âThe full value of HBO is recognised when our current and library programming live together as an offering to the consumer. With this expansion of rights, Foxtel makes available the abundance of all HBO has to offer and we know from experience that this will further elevate Foxtelâs great service. Theyâve always been a forward-thinking partner and we are thrilled with what weâve been able to accomplish.â
Foxtel revolutionises access to subscription TV
Foxtel Play
Flexible pricing and delivery, coupled with continued commitment to content, set to boost appetite for brilliant TV
Today at the 2016 ASTRA conference, Foxtel announced a revolutionary new approach to pricing and packaging for IP delivered subscription TV service, Foxtel Play. The move is designed to increase consumer choice and to break down traditional barriers to taking up Foxtelâs services.
Foxtel CEO, Peter Tonagh shared plans to offer a new pricing model that features low cost entry points at prices that will be highly competitive with SVOD services, while still providing access to Foxtelâs superior content.
The new entry level pricing is set to launch in December and centres on a âbring your own deviceâ and âbring your own bandwidthâ model with IP delivered entertainment brought to connected devices, such as a smart TV or laptop.
As part of the new IP offering Foxtel will create five different entry level tiers to match viewersâ interests including two options for drama plus one option for Lifestyle, one for Documentary and one for Kids. Beyond this, customers will also be able to take the Sports tier and the Movies tier.
Subscribers will have access to all linear channels in the tier along with all of the on-demand, catch up and library content available to that tier plus mobile access via Foxtel Go.
âFoxtel has been at the forefront of providing unrivalled entertainment to customers for more than 20 years. Our new flexible pricing and delivery will mean that even more Australians will be able to design a subscription that works for them and once they experience what we have to offer, weâre confident theyâll be hungry for more,â said Mr. Tonagh.
As part of its new delivery options, Foxtel also confirmed that it is developing a new low cost âpuckâ to access its IP delivered content. When it launches it will have a tremendous user interface with sophisticated search and recommendation functionality.
With the new pricing, Foxtel is now providing everything from a low cost, low commitment entry point, through to the premium, high end of the subscription TV spectrum via full service cable/satellite set top boxes.
In addition, to itâs new IP pricing, Foxtel also announced that it has entered a new agreement with HBO that will give subscribers even more extensive access to the HBOâs incredible library (see separate media release).
Mr Tonagh also announced that in December Foxtel will launch a new kids app that will enable kids to have access to all of Foxtelâs great childrenâs content, wherever they are. By downloading the app parents will be sure that their children only have access to age appropriate programming.
That means the current rights deal between Foxtel and HBO will be for three or four years (they last renewed the contract in 2012/2013 IIRC).
The problem is, once Game of Thrones finishes in 2018, HBO shows may not be as appealing to subscribers as to now.
No detail whatsoever. A whole heap of waffle.
Presto will supposedly be axed and replaced with these changes.
Wow. Now thatâs a big story.
Presto was an utter failure so Iâm not totally shocked, but I expected Seven and Foxtel to persist with it for a bit longer. I guess there just wasnât an appetite for Stan and Netflix plus Presto in the market.
It was an announcement in a Keynote at an industry conference - Im not surprised that there wasnt a lot of detail.
Having said that, it wasnt like it was a big surprise - it ran in the paper yesterday
New logo for the 111 funny channel. No caps and no copies online yet.
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Old Logo:
New Logo:
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When did they change the name to âfunnyâ?
that channel has a constant identity crisis.
Earlier this year I think with the last logo change, they dropped the âhitsâ (or was it greats?) and added âvery funnyâ to some parts of the presentation, now it looks like itâs more permanent but not as funny.
Why do you say that? 111 Greats/Hits/Very Funny/Funny is great! Must be up to a new logo again in a few weeks.
It was strange, I was about to go to bed and then saw when Reba started just before midnight that it looked like a new watermark and checked the +2 channel which definitely had the old one.
Itâs hilarious how many times theyâve tinkered with it, but it also speaks to a general habit Foxtel have of not letting channels develop their own identities or just being plain indecisive about what channel does what.
W was constantly tinkered with until they threw that brand out and replaced it with SoHo, which was to become their cheaper âpremiumâ drama channel in addition to Showcase. They then moved Showcase to General Entertainment in order to appease GoT fans, even though GoT reruns aired on SoHo and they could have aired new episodes on there and kept Showcase in the Premium section. Foxtel then began airing reruns of their bigger drama titles on Boxsets. This meant SoHo, Showcase, Boxsets and also FX were targeting the same specific niche of young male-skewing dramas. Fucking baffling.
The same is true with certain shows. Foxtel also used to bounce sitcoms around channels. I remember Friends, Raymond, Malcolm and a couple of other sitcoms I canât recall the name of having been on TV1, 111 Hits/Greats/Whatever, FOX8 and the Comedy Channel at various times. Like, FFS, put them on a single channel and leave them there.
Both issues could be solved if they cut down the number of channels and started focussing on quality over quantity. Thereâs so much filler shit on even FOX8, let alone the lesser channels, that I donât understand why they donât shut half of the channels down. More logos look nicer on a brochure I guessâŚ
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Seems odd for FOX8 to air an advisory like this for Family Guy for the past few years and not for any other shows that I am aware ofâŚ
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###Foxtel revamps its streaming video service
Presto customers invited to move to Foxtel Play
##foxtel Street TV shines the spotlight on young film talent
Creative short films from youths in crisis inspire others to live healthier lives
Students from Foxtelâs Street TV will take to the stage this evening to shine the light on a series of short films created as part of Foxtelâs annual program for disadvanged young people from The Salvation Armyâs Oasis Youth Support Network.
The intense three month Street TV course provides a creative outlet for self-expression and is designed to help students by building their confidence while teaching them new skills in TV and film production. Each film is a unique artistic expression from the participants that have been inspired by the individual experiences of the students involved.
Now in its 14th year, Street TV is a collaboration between Foxtel and the Oasis Street Media Program that immerses students in every aspect of TV and film production from creative development, script drafting and sound editing to film direction and post production. Foxtel staff volunteers offer their time, talents and professional experience to help mentor students through their entire journey from concept to completion.
Foxtel will screen the final cut of each film this evening at a special gala event that celebrates the students and their creations. This yearâs films are:
⢠Game Over?: Takes a look into the mental health of a gaming addict who struggles to separate himself from the gaming world in order to reconnect with family and friends;
⢠Rhythm of Life: Explores the power of music and the different ways people tap into it to create positive impacts on their lives; and
⢠Faded: Using stop-motion photography, Faded follows an individualâs personal journey of loss and the self-motiviation needed to achieve a happy outcome.
Bruce Meagher, Foxtelâs Group Director of Corporate Affairs, said, âEach year, the students from Street TV create thought-provoking films that delight and inspire and this year weâve seen some truly remarkable storytelling from a talented group of courageous young people. We look forward to sharing the fruits of their hard work during our gala evening and shining the spotlight on their creations.â
Chris McKendrick, Oasis Youth Support Network Centre Manager said, âStreet TV is one of the stand out programs across our network. It provides a structured, hands on learning environment led by experts in their field. Add to that opportunities for our young people to unlock hidden talents, express themselves, and grow towards future aspirations. Many thanks to the Foxtel staff volunteers for working so closely with us on this valuable experience.â
Street TV is part of Foxtelâs commitment to the community, which, since 2002, has supported youth, including long-term unemployed and those living on the streets. The program represents a longstanding partnership between Foxtel and Oasis and provides a supportive environment for young people to work alongside Foxtel employees to learn the art of film making.
By the end of this yearâs program, Foxtel employees will have volunteered around 2000 hours helping the students create their films.
Hillsong channel has been added to channel 183
SBN (another religious channel) on 186
i have it on good authority that the reason why foxtel is getting so many religious channels is two fold - first, they get a carriage fee paid by the channel operators.
secondly, the subscription rate amongst religious households increased when they added daystar. they are hoping to replicate this with hillsong
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So youâre saying a cable operator would carry a channel because
- It drives subscription take up; and
- provides income.
Well, yes! LOL
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