Netflix and Spark agreement

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#1727626 28-Feb-2017 12:26

@Wheelbarrow01: I suspected that might be the case. My comments were in no way intended to demean the CSRs, but just to add some detail for anyone thinking of taking up the offer, and note that Spark doesn't appear to have thought it through before releasing it.

littleheaven

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#1727659 28-Feb-2017 12:49

By the time my fibre is ready they should have ironed out the wrinkles, and then I'll sign up when I switch from VDSL to fibre. *checks Spark website* OMG IT'S AVAILABLE!!!

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#1727669 28-Feb-2017 13:22

Wheelbarrow01:

andrew027:

Thought I'd share a conversation I just had with Spark via online chat [with some comments not directly relevant edited out]. It doesn't say much, except either Spark haven't worked through all the options, or they haven't trained their customer service folk yet, particularly as the CSR had to go away twice to ask someone else my questions.

It's worth mentioning that this new offer was dropped on all Spark staff at exactly the same time it was made public. In fact I read about it on this very GZ before the official announcement email to Spark staff had even been sent to me. So it's fair to say that our frontline staff will be furiously playing catch-up at the moment - they virtually know little more about the offer than anybody on the street.

This is not a product that has been trained out to frontline staff weeks in advance - pretty much nobody on the Spark frontline knew anything about it until it was launched. This is great for keeping things under wraps - but not so great when the public calls up with questoins 5 minutes after the launch announcement....

was let out on my floor here, however very clearly stated as NDA.

Can't speak for chat agents obviously, nor can i speak for billing things, i don't handle that..

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=21352

Was actually leaked by @billbennett before the annoucement date(unsure if he knew it was under NDA or not, simple fact not accusing), however i did not see any posts within gz pointing it out, internally it was duly noticed however.

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MikeAqua

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#1727691 28-Feb-2017 14:22

I don't see one provider exclusively having a particular series as a monopoly. Because other providers have series I might choose to watch instead.

To use an analogy Coke doesn't have a monopoly on cola, just coke.

I don't have that much time to watch TV. There is always more I'm interested in watching than time to watch it. I don't succumb to FOMO because I'm not keeping up with whatever series x.

Mike

billbennett

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#1727692 28-Feb-2017 14:23

was let out on my floor here, however very clearly stated as NDA.

Can't speak for chat agents obviously, nor can i speak for billing things, i don't handle that..

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=21352

Was actually leaked by @billbennett before the annoucement date(unsure if he knew it was under NDA or not, simple fact not accusing), however i did not see any posts within gz pointing it out, internally it was duly noticed however.

For the record I wasn't under an NDA. Nor did I get the information from inside Spark.

Bill Bennett www.billbennett.co.nz @billbennettnz

hio77

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#1727703 28-Feb-2017 14:48

billbennett:

For the record I wasn't under an NDA. Nor did I get the information from inside Spark.

not a problem, as i said was unsure if you in particular were aware of the case or not. however for us it was NDA till it went out..

Glad to hear it didnt come from spark though!

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tdgeek

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#1727720 28-Feb-2017 15:20

MikeAqua:

I don't see one provider exclusively having a particular series as a monopoly. Because other providers have series I might choose to watch instead.

To use an analogy Coke doesn't have a monopoly on cola, just coke.

I don't have that much time to watch TV. There is always more I'm interested in watching than time to watch it. I don't succumb to FOMO because I'm not keeping up with whatever series x.

I dont thaink that was suggested, Mike. A poster appeared to prefer not to have various providers as he would have to go to them and pay for a few, rather than if everything was with one provider, i.e. a monopoly

DarkShadow

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#1727727 28-Feb-2017 15:37

hio77:

billbennett:

For the record I wasn't under an NDA. Nor did I get the information from inside Spark.

not a problem, as i said was unsure if you in particular were aware of the case or not. however for us it was NDA till it went out..

Glad to hear it didnt come from spark though!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11793631

It was reported a few weeks ago in the Herald actually.

Jas777

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#1727757 28-Feb-2017 15:59

tdgeek:

MikeAqua:

I don't see one provider exclusively having a particular series as a monopoly. Because other providers have series I might choose to watch instead.

To use an analogy Coke doesn't have a monopoly on cola, just coke.

I don't have that much time to watch TV. There is always more I'm interested in watching than time to watch it. I don't succumb to FOMO because I'm not keeping up with whatever series x.

I dont thaink that was suggested, Mike. A poster appeared to prefer not to have various providers as he would have to go to them and pay for a few, rather than if everything was with one provider, i.e. a monopoly

It was me and yes I would like a monopoly but only in the sense it would benefit me.

Your analogy is an interesting one because if someone other than SKY had some rugby, cricket, football etc then would SKY still be a monopoly? I think that it would probably would if had all NZ content?

littleheaven

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#1727759 28-Feb-2017 16:03

Obviously, the ideal situation is two providers with very similar offerings vying for customers. But that's highly unlikely to happen.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

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#1727763 28-Feb-2017 16:19

Why not a catch-up aggregator service? If Sky or another monopoly provider is allowed to hog all rights forever, or if it only has rights for a one-off live broadcast, then only people able and willing to pay the usually inflated price get to see the program. This encourages piracy. So allow monopoly broadcasts and charging whatever the market will bear for those willing to sell their children, but after a reasonable delay make reruns available for little or no money so the less well-off can also enjoy the content, even if they don't get to see it live. I think Sky already does this to a limited extent with Prime, but it could be taken further, possibly with the aid of some creative legislation. So you could conceivably have a situation where monopolies or competing providers offer exclusive content, but sometime later it all ends up with one provider as rerun material.

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#1727767 28-Feb-2017 16:23

DarkShadow:

hio77:

billbennett:

For the record I wasn't under an NDA. Nor did I get the information from inside Spark.

not a problem, as i said was unsure if you in particular were aware of the case or not. however for us it was NDA till it went out..

Glad to hear it didnt come from spark though!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11793631

It was reported a few weeks ago in the Herald actually.

uh, article quite clearly states speculation....

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

MikeAqua

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#1727776 28-Feb-2017 16:36

Jas777:

tdgeek:

MikeAqua:

I don't see one provider exclusively having a particular series as a monopoly. Because other providers have series I might choose to watch instead.

To use an analogy Coke doesn't have a monopoly on cola, just coke.

I don't have that much time to watch TV. There is always more I'm interested in watching than time to watch it. I don't succumb to FOMO because I'm not keeping up with whatever series x.

I dont thaink that was suggested, Mike. A poster appeared to prefer not to have various providers as he would have to go to them and pay for a few, rather than if everything was with one provider, i.e. a monopoly

It was me and yes I would like a monopoly but only in the sense it would benefit me.

Your analogy is an interesting one because if someone other than SKY had some rugby, cricket, football etc then would SKY still be a monopoly? I think that it would probably would if had all NZ content?

I don't think there is any substitute for watching your favourite sport broadcast live. That's an experience you can't repeat later and other sports are not substitutable.

Mike

mattwnz

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#1727787 28-Feb-2017 16:47

I am a bit concerned about this, in terms of competition. Does it potentially mean that Lightbox may not get all the new titles in the future, which will make it less attractive? If that occurs, people will want to get the Netflix offer instead of the Lightbox one, which could eventually make Lightbox redundant. Especially as Lightbox probably isn't making any money anyway, as many subscribers will be getting it bundled at no cost. I presume Spark has to pay Netflix for the service in the deal, so effectively Spark is paying for two different on-demand systems. I can't see how that will be sustainable for too long. But that said, it is good to see Spark at least doing something.

ockel

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#1727795 28-Feb-2017 16:53

Rikkitic:

Why not a catch-up aggregator service? If Sky or another monopoly provider is allowed to hog all rights forever, or if it only has rights for a one-off live broadcast, then only people able and willing to pay the usually inflated price get to see the program. This encourages piracy. So allow monopoly broadcasts and charging whatever the market will bear for those willing to sell their children, but after a reasonable delay make reruns available for little or no money so the less well-off can also enjoy the content, even if they don't get to see it live. I think Sky already does this to a limited extent with Prime, but it could be taken further, possibly with the aid of some creative legislation. So you could conceivably have a situation where monopolies or competing providers offer exclusive content, but sometime later it all ends up with one provider as rerun material.

You mean like watching the aforementioned The Honourable Woman or Homeland (S1-5) on Lightbox after they have already played elsewhere? Spark is paying the less-than-inflated prices for its subcribers to watch it for free. But someone is still paying to aggregate in the catchup service. And its being aggregated. Or the old catalogue movies on Netflix - aggregated. Or the back catalogue TV on the streaming services. Missed it years ago - watch it now. Its been aggregated.

Or the usual Box Office, Pay per view, paytv, FTA succession of windows for movies? Or broadcast (plus 28 days streaming), then first-window pay/streaming for TV series?

You pay the usually inflated price to see it first (or stomach the advertisements that someone else is paying for) in its first window and then successively lower amounts in subsequent windows.

When it comes to sport there just isnt any value ascribed by the viewer if its not live. TVNZ and TV3 never wanted to pay for FTA replay rights for the rugby in the days before Sky owned Prime. Neither saw the value compared to live - and in those days both TV3 and TVNZ had significant reach compared to now. Replay rights have got to be worth even less given there isnt any audience. You can find Super18 highlights on its website and the likes of cricket highlights on SkySport - all free. But does anyone bother watching? Doubtful.

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