Why can’t they just do picture in picture ads, if they have to be inserted? Seems the more logical choice.
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TV3/C4 covered the V8 Supercars in that manner, back in the day, race-start live, then progressively delayed with every ad-break. I didn’t mind, but I remember motorsport fans on Geekzone getting quite antsy over it.
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This reminds me of Seven’s AFL (Australian Football League) broadcasts on Sunday afternoons, when it regained the broadcast rights for the start of 2007 season. While the telecast started on exactly one hour delay (the actual match began at 2.10pm), it was progressively delayed with every ad-break, so that the telecast finished just before the 6pm news. In real time, the match would have finished 15-20 minutes before 5pm.
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They’ll be full ad-breaks, probably 2 a half…that way Sky retains its benefit of being the live and ad-free during play and they throw Sky Open a token bone.
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Typical. But TVNZ started doing this at the end of 1995 after the world cup, before they lost the rugby rights to Sky. They would show the kick off live, and then insert ad breaks and the coverage would be more and more delayed. They also did it on the few game they showed live after 1996. A more (in)famous example is the 2000 Olympic opening ceremony, when they peppered the coverage with ads.
By the early to mid 2000’s, I think it was TV3 that were billing rugby broadcasts as ‘live kick off’, so they would delay the broadcast as they peppered it with ads.
Fortunately I dont follow sport anymore, so Im not going to get as indignant about it as I used to.
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Bravo ends 2023 as New Zealand’s leading challenger network and continues growth in 2024
Auckland, New Zealand – Friday 9, February 2024: Bravo New Zealand has cemented its place as the ultimate free-to-air reality and true crime destination, becoming the number one challenger network1 in 2023 according to recent data from Nielsen2.
Bravo New Zealand is the free-to-air home of NBCUniversal’s broad portfolio of reality content, including some of the world’s most popular unscripted TV franchises and series from Bravo and E!, and compelling true crime content from Oxygen.
Embraced by New Zealand audiences and in its eighth year, this is the first time Bravo has claimed the title of number one challenger network in all individuals 5+, affirming Kiwis’ hunger for the best reality content. Bravo was also number one among key demos; women 25-54 and household shoppers with kids 0-14.
The strength of the second half of last year saw the channel grow in key demos, with Bravo one of the only channels to demonstrate growth year on year, in a competitive market. Bravo also had its strongest streaming year to date in 2023, with Bravo content on ThreeNow viewed more times than in any other year.
Last year, the biggest hits on Bravo and ThreeNow were Below Deck Down Under, Below Deck, Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Vanderpump Rules, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Real Housewives of Orange County, Snapped, 24 Hours in A&E and film titles from the Bourne franchise.
Bravo continues to drive ratings in 2024, starting the year up 5% year-on-year in people 25-54, 7% among women 25-54 and 36% among household shoppers with kids 0-143.
Fan-favourite returning seasons and new series coming to Bravo this year include Below Deck - Season 11, Below Deck Mediterranean - Season 9, Vanderpump Rules - Season 11, The Valley - Season 1, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy, Real Housewives of Orange County - Season 18, The Real Murders of Los Angeles - Season 1, The Real Murders of Orange County - Season 3, Couple to Throuple - Season 1 and Botched- Season 8B.
“Now in its eighth year broadcasting in New Zealand, Bravo has established itself as a much sought-after free-to-air destination for extraordinary reality, entertainment and true crime content,” said Chris Taylor, MD, NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer and Distribution, ANZ and Executive Chairman of Bravo New Zealand. “It’s exciting to see Bravo buck the linear viewing trend with viewing continuing to grow across both linear and VOD, demonstrating the pure strength and appeal of our content for Kiwi audiences.”
1Challenger networks are exclusive of broadcasters Three, TVNZ 1 and TVNZ 2.
2Source: Nielsen/Arianna. Main and plus 1 channels combined. National Panel. Fully consolidated data. All Day based on 10:00-23:59. Peak based on 18:00-22:29. Demographics as defined by Nielsen. VOD data based on NBCU Research VODTrack/Adobe Analytics/Threenow. Jul 16 – Dec 31, 2023.
3Source: Nielsen/Arianna. National panel. Fully consolidated data. Main and plus 1 channels combined. YTD based on Jan 1 – Jan 23, 2024. Peak based on 18:00-22:29. All day based on 06:00-23:59. Specialist channels excludes TVNZ1, TVNZ2 & Three. Q4 based on Oct 1- Dec 31, 2023.
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I think they did it with some NRL games from memory?
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For the final whistle only being delayed by 12 minutes is still a win for free to air sport IMO, and a good compromise IMO.
Whats the motive behind this move from Sky is my question. Are they trying to increase Sky Open ratings, promote their sport offering to push subscriptions?
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PAYWALLED FYI.
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@millsy @OnAir In the early 2000s TV3 (now Three), in partnership with Sky, was granted exclusive free-to-air broadcast rights for both rugby and rugby league. This arrangement meant that some games would begin with a ‘live kick-off’ before going to a commercial break. However, in order to ensure that fans did not miss any of the action, the coverage would become progressively delayed.
Meanwhile, in 1997, TVNZ was dedicated to improving the quality of its sporting coverage, specifically when it came to rugby, which was the most prominent sport on New Zealand television at the time. Building on its achievement of broadcasting the Super 12 (now Super Rugby Pacific) final without commercial interruptions earlier that year, TVNZ also aimed to do the same of the All Blacks’ international rugby tests.
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It’s for optics: they’ve being so generous in giving the people free sport
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Isn’t that an outdated thing to do that Sky Open try to Chase ratings for subscriptions. Last year Three show some NRL Matches, but I don’t know that ad did delay the game because I never watch it so anyone knows?
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I think it’s Sky Opens only way of carving out a niche considering Bravo has overtaken them as the Fourth most popular free to air channel. Sport and it’s 5.30pm news (even though the advertising dollars go to WBD) is probably the only thing keeping the channel afloat.
Does Sky Open have to have news? Not that I’m complaining for a minute - I think it’s great that one channel has a shorter bulletin - but assuming there’s nothing in Sky Open’s licence to say there must be some news, I’m surprised they’ve kept with it for so long.
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It must be a contractual/legal requirement. Can’t see why they would be continuing otherwise.
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If it have not been produced by WBD (then MediaWorks TV) since 2015, they would have axed. SKY Open then known as Prime when it gone downhill in ratings since that time since then their programmings fave to filled up with SKY pay per view programming mostly from SoHo where it is New Zealand’s home of HBO.
There is no legal requirement for them to have News, NZ has very weak broadcasting regulations. News First is one of Sky Open’s most popular programmes and they’ve managed to get a good deal by contracting out the news without having to pay for it.
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Even Australia have more stronger regulations around News and current affairs than NZ does, so that is why that Prime. TV did not set up their own studio having own News and current affairs from scratch
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They did have their own News set after Sky purchased it and moved production to their Albany studio in 2006 and also for Paul Holmes short-lived show in 2005 whilst still under Nine ownership.
They had news in Christchurch and Hamilton from launch too.
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