Freeview reluctant to allow Sky Access to new Freeview Channels

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f1guy

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#15680 3-Sep-2007 09:54

Hi,

An interesting article published on the Stuff website this morning.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4187772a13.html

You would think that Freeview channels are free to air that Sky should be able to rebroadcast them but as usual things do not seem to be that simple.

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#85038 3-Sep-2007 10:48

Sky TV chief executive John Fellet reciprocated by casting doubt on whether its free-to-air channel, Prime, will be available on the Freeview digital terrestrial platform next year.

If this was the case then surely Prime would become ineligible to bid for FTA rights of programs - such as super 14 - wouldnt it?

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sbiddle

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#85040 3-Sep-2007 10:50

Fellet is an idiot saying that. If Prime isn't on Freeview it's simply going to be another Sky channel and will no longer be a FTA channel!

I would love to know what TVNZ's problem is. They haven't actually given a good reason yet as to why they don't seem to think Sky should automatically carry the additional channels.

allstarnz

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#85042 3-Sep-2007 10:53

yeah, was rather perplexed by Fellet's comment about Prime being on Freeview terrestrial. Hope he's talking out his a$$ about that one.

rscole86

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#85044 3-Sep-2007 10:54

And what about TCL? Where do they stand in this?

I realise that they get most of their channels from SKY, but still they could compete by offering all of the TVNZ channels

Robz

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#85056 3-Sep-2007 11:13

I wonder how much of this is journalism looking for a story. One of the key statements (for me) in the article is that the contract does not expire till 2011. I am not really surprised that they have not negotiated anything about rights 3+ years in advance.

f1guy

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#85069 3-Sep-2007 12:42

The 2011 date refers to the existing CH1/2/3 arrangement. The New channels TVNZ 6 TVNZ 7 and TVNZ Sports Extra will not be carried by Sky until a new agreement is reached. (apart from Sports Extra, I am not really interested in the other new channels due to start this month and early next year so it doesn't effect me to much, but it is always nice to have a choice).

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#85075 3-Sep-2007 13:04

By 2011 will probably have tv with digital turner. Be a pain in the neck having to buy a second recording device though
for one and two (If dispute still continuing then) and any other channels if any others there interested in.

By saying Sky not allowed to pick up signals to me is like saying you have to buy brand x tv if you want to watch a certain channel
when current tv is capable of displaying it.

It's almost as though TVNZ is making a cut out of the sale of each freeview box sold as to watch the channels you must buy one of these. Doesn't sound like freeview to me.

Glad TV3 has world cup and the racing next year, as it means more New Zealanders will be able to watch it then if TVNZ had them.

Sky is being silly if they don't allow Prime on terrestrial, as they'll lose on advertising, and annoy potential viewers.

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Robz

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#85081 3-Sep-2007 13:37

Opps - I see the point on the contract and new stations

.

Does anyone know the numbers of people who are using/subsribed to freeview? Given SkyTV has about 600,000 individual subscribers plus wholesale plus corporates, the target poplulation for the new channels may mean that they wil miss out on the advertising revenue.

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#85087 3-Sep-2007 14:04

I would love to know what TVNZ's problem is. They haven't actually given a good reason yet as to why they don't seem to think Sky should automatically carry the additional channels.

Same here. Going by what some people state - it sounds like they are trying to turn freeview into a Sky competitor, while really its just the FTA channels coming in digital form rather than analog (and off a satellite at this point) - which is in competition with sky, which markets more channels that appeal to people who are prepared to pay for them.

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cyril7

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#85098 3-Sep-2007 15:21

As I mentioned in the other thread thats going at the moment and is alluded to by Fellet, Sky could introduce a firmware upgrade that allows users to tune their Sky boxs to any Freeview streams that they wish. SkyUK boxs used to have this feature, not sure if they still do. There was only a limited number of channels that you could store, and to access them you had to go by a menu option that kinda sidestepped the normal epg.

But by using this method Sky could claim that subscribers were viewing FTA channels that had no contractual EPG implication with FreeView, and the Sky box was acting as anyother FTA STB.

Cyril

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#85112 3-Sep-2007 16:56

cyril7: As I mentioned in the other thread thats going at the moment and is alluded to by Fellet, Sky could introduce a firmware upgrade that allows users to tune their Sky boxs to any Freeview streams that they wish. SkyUK boxs used to have this feature, not sure if they still do. There was only a limited number of channels that you could store, and to access them you had to go by a menu option that kinda sidestepped the normal epg.

But by using this method Sky could claim that subscribers were viewing FTA channels that had no contractual EPG implication with FreeView, and the Sky box was acting as anyother FTA STB.

Cyril

The fact he alluded to doing that sounds like it's almost a dead certainty. Both platforms really need each other - Sky needs to offer FTA channels as part of it's package and TVNZ need to be on Sky to ensure they're available to as many viewers as possible. Eveybody seems to be laying the blame on TVNZ for this little spat (which seems to have started as a result of the Avalon uplink saga earlier in the year) and the reality of which is that TVNZ seem to have lost the plot entirely.

Fossie

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#86132 10-Sep-2007 16:55

Here's something new...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4196731a28.html

tonyhughes

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#86145 10-Sep-2007 17:46

Fossie: Here's something new...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4196731a28.html

Nice thought, but even if they do manage to overcome the technical hurdles, it sounds like a bit of FUD from Sky if you ask me. They are probably hoping that by saying that, people will be reluctant to buy Freeview gear, if they already have Sky...

cyril7

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#86163 10-Sep-2007 19:04

I suggest that they will do just as the SkyUK boxs do, reserve a small set of EPG slots for user scanned FTA channels. Makes good sense to me, although I really think FreeView should get back with the program and concentrate on getting viewers on the map rather than STB's in the home, first option will sell, second wont.

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#86166 10-Sep-2007 19:18

So SKY UK already does this? Cool. I might retract my earlier statement.