Aus DTT could see chnl co-operation
Rose Major ©RapidTVNews
| 22-09-2008
Australia’s free-to-air commercial networks are in talks which could lead to a tie-up for three joint-venture channels on the country’s digital-terrestrial platform, according to The Australian newspaper.
With Seven, Nine and Ten all allowed to multichannel (offer one new
standard-definition stand-alone DTT channel each) from next January,
the rivals are reportedly looking at ways to pool their resources
instead of entrenching their competition against each other further.
With the soon-to-launch Australian Freeview DTT brand competing against
pay-TV platforms Foxtel and Austar, the channels seem to have
recognised it would not be in their best interests to compete against
each other as well. So on the table is a plan with Ten launching a
specialist sports service, Nine a general entertainment channel and
Seven a lifestyle channel – perhaps even sharing library programming
between the channels according to genre, rather than broadcaster.
But news of the talks come as The Australian claims that Ten, which has
had plans for a sports-only multichannel for some time, is “getting
cold feet” over the proposals, believing a joint venture would muddy
its clear DTT strategy. Seven and Nine would be unlikely to go ahead
with the venture if Ten did not participate.
© Rapid TV News 2008
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