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Foxtel

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Foxtel is a subscription television company in Australia, formed through a joint venture between Telstra and News Corporation. It began supplying cable TV services to customers in May, 1995 with subsequent expansion allowing for satellite and cellular phone network broadcasting.

History

In May 1998 Australis Media, the owner of a satellite TV service known as Galaxy TV, was declared insolvent. Foxtel immediately commenced supplying programming to Galaxy's subscribers on an interim basis. In 1999 Foxtel was able to significantly boost its customer base by acquiring Galaxy TV's subscribers from the Australis Media liquidator and commenced offering its services on a satellite television platform.

Foxtel's shareholders currently comprise Telstra (50% through Telstra Media Pty Ltd) and a joint venture company (Sky Cable Pty Ltd) that is owned by News Corp (25%) and PBL (25%). It shares many features with the Sky Digital service in the UK, including IQ, the EPG, a similar remote control, and Red Button Active. Foxtel has grown rapidly in 2007, with most of Foxtel's highest ever rating events coming this year - including the 2007 AFC Asian Cup quarter final between Australia and Japan, which drew an average of 419,000 viewers - an Australian Pay-TV record.

Availability

Foxtel transmits its cable service via Telstra HFC cable into the Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth metropolitan areas. Foxtel also transmits its satellite service into these cities as well as most regional areas of Western Australia and the cities of Newcastle, Central Coast and Canberra. However, satellite service is not available at user sites where Telstra cable is available. Foxtel on Mobile, launched on Telstra's Next G network in late 2006 is available within Telstra Next G HSDPA/850mhz) coverage areas, which covers 98% of the population.

Telstra's network and Foxtel were created to combat the threat posed to Telstra's local call business by the combination of Optus Vision (now known as Optus TV) content bundling with Optus' local telephony services. Foxtel was the content arm of Telstra's defence strategy. Telstra's multimedia broadband network was originally the sole delivery system.

In 2005 Foxtel and Optus Television agreed to a content-sharing arrangement. Programming competition between the two companies has now dissipated.

Austar, a regional pay TV operator, also carries most Foxtel programming. Austar sells satellite-delivered services to regional Australian markets that are not serviced by Foxtel.

Foxtel is Australia's largest pay TV operator. Its programming is currently delivered to about 1.2 million Australian homes either directly or by Foxtel's wholesale customers. Foxtel is available to over 70% of Australian homes. However, pay TV penetration into Australian homes is only about 25%, very low compared with market penetration rates in the USA (over 90%) and in European countries.

Foxtel announced its maiden annual profit in 2006, more than 10 years after it commenced services. The installation and maintenance of Foxtel services is Telstra's responsibility. In many markets Telstra has outsourced installation and maintenance to large communications contractors, including ABB Communications and Siemens-Thiess Communications Joint Venture.

In 2007, Network TEN formed an agreement with Foxtel to allow them to carry a digital version of TEN's programming. Included in the deal is EPG data which allows Foxtel IQ users to schedule recordings on TEN. Before the agreement, TEN was carried in an analogue format on Cable only.

Services

Although originally launching in 1995 with just a cable service, Foxtel has branched out into many new services since its inception.

Foxtel Digital

Foxtel launched its digital service (Foxtel Digital) in March 2004. The service is loosely based on another of News Corporation's Subscription Providers, BSkyB. Features of the digital service include:

* Channels with Widescreen
* Selected movies with Dolby AC3 5.1 channel surround sound
* Pay-per-view and Near Video On Demand services
* Interactive television services including multiple camera angle sports, news, games and others
* An interactive TV and AIR Radio guide.
* "+2" (timeshift) channels of popular channels, showing programs two hours later than the original channel.

Like many other NewsCorp owned digital platforms Foxtel uses NDS Group encryption system, EPG and PVR services, the OpenTV interactive platform and runs on primarily Pace Micro Technology Set-top boxes.

Foxtel's satellite service transmits exclusively from the Optus C1 satellite on a frequency of 12.438GHz and adjacent frequencies. The Telstra HFC cable carries Foxtel at frequencies of approximately 560MHz (downstream) and 2.4MHz (upstream).

As of April 2007, all Foxtel subscribers are using the digital set-up, making Foxtel Digital synonymous with the standard Foxtel service.

The most commonly distributed STU for Foxtel is a Pace unit.

Foxtel iQ

Foxtel has also launched Foxtel iQ, a timeshifting personal digital recorder, in which subscribers are able to record programs onto a hard drive inside the set-top unit for later viewing. Foxtel iQ also allows viewers to use the rewind or pause features during television programs. Two new services, On Demand and Remote Record, exclusively available to Foxtel iQ subscribers launched in 2007. Foxtel On Demand was launched on the 8th of February and Remote Record was launched on New Years Day, 2007. This service is based on Sky+, which was launched on NewsCorp's UK Television Platform Sky in 2001.

Pace Micro Technologies are the Set Top Box provider for iQ - of which, they claim that the cable version of iQ is the first DVB based Cable personal digital recorder.

Foxtel boss Kim Williams announced in July 2007 that Foxtel will be releasing a high definition Foxtel iQ set top box in early 2008 which will feature 4 high definition channels as well as a retransmission of network Tens upcoming TEN-HD high definition multi-channel due for launch on December 16. Foxtel has set up a website dedicated to HDTV at foxtel.com.au/hd featuring extensive information on HD in general, basic information on the up coming Foxtel HD service, as well as a continuously updated blog by Foxtels Executive Director of Content, Product & Delivery Innovation Patrick Delany, the site also explains that the Foxtel HD set top box will feature a HDMI port and will broadcast it's HD content in 720p and 1080i. Its not known when Foxtel HD will be available to Optus tv subscribers, although when Foxtel launched it digital service in 2005, it became available to Optus subscribers roughly one year later.

Foxtel On Demand

Foxtel On Demand is a service offered by Foxtel to Foxtel iQ subscribers which allows people to watch selected shows and movies whenever they want. Foxtel On Demand was launched on February 8th 2007 with a variety of programmes and included the entire second season of Love My Way.

Operation
The On Demand service provides programs from select channels. Depending on the users subscription the IQ then uses a separate hard drive from the main programming recorded to download certain programs and movies from channels available to the On Demand service. The user then has the ability to preview the program before watching and will be able to see at the same time what channel it regularly screens on, the program's rating and the duration left before the program is removed from viewing. At present Foxtel is providing new material every Thursday and each program has a duration of 7 or 14 days before being deleted from the selection.

Channels

In Foxtel's introduction video, it displays a variety of channels that content will be shown from. It is unknown yet whether more of Foxtel's channels will provide content in the future. Foxtel does not make public which shows and films will be available to On Demand. Movies that are shown generally consist of recent screenings of premiere movies on the movie channels available to On Demand.

Channels available

* Showtime
* Movie One
* Movie Extra
* World Movies
* UKTV
* W
* Hallmark Channel
* LifeStyle Food
* How To Channel
* The LifeStyle Channel
* The Biography Channel
* FUEL TV

* Nickelodeon
* Cartoon Network
* Discovery Channel
* National Geographic Channel
* Discovery Home and Health
* The History Channel
* Channel V
* MTV
* VH1
* Country Music Channel
* Crime and Investigation Network
* Foxtel Box Office (Trailers for films screening on Foxtel Box Office)

* Adults Only

Charges and Fees

The service is available to all Foxtel IQ customers at no extra charge. In the introduction video to On Demand, Foxtel states that it is part of the Foxtel IQ subscription fee. The programming is however restricted to the channels that the customer is subscribed to. For example customers not subscribed to the movie channels will not be able to view the movies on demand. Some unsubscribed channel content is available but varies.

Mobile Foxtel

Launched in late 2006 to coincide with Telstra's new NextG 3G Mobile phone network, Mobile Foxtel (previously Foxtel By Movie) offers 12 standard channels of programming for a small subscription fee, optimised for mobile devices. At present the channels available are:

* SKY NEWS Headlines
* SKY NEWS Business
* CNN
* FOX SPORTS News TV
* FOX8
* THE COMEDY CHANNEL
* MTV
* E! Entertainment
* Fashion TV
* Discovery Mobile
* Disney Channel
* Union Extreme Sports
* Cartoon Network
* TV1
* National Geographic Channel
* Eurosportnews

With the exception of CNN, Fashion TV, Eurosportsnews and FOX SPORTS News TV, which are direct simulcasts of the actual channel and SKY NEWS Channels which are taken from the SKY NEWS Active service, all channels are preproduced loops that do not directly correlate to the full scale satellite/cable channel. At present, a limit of 200 minutes per month, with 15 minutes per session may apply to the service, although this has not been strictly enforced.

Foxtel Magazine

Foxtel Magazine is Australia's highest-circulating paid-for monthly magazine, reaching over 815,000 homes every month.

Foxtel Magazine is the TV-Listings magazine for Foxtel subscribers, and offers daily listings for most of the 130 channels offered on the platform. It is the only medium that subscribers can find information and recommendations on programming for the entire month.

It is published for Foxtel by ACP Magazines, and distributed to Foxtel subscribers (who pay for this service) by postal service.

Encryption

Like the UK's Sky, Foxtel Digital utilises NDS services, including their Videoguard encryption system (for both Cable and Satellite). This is a change from previously using Irdeto and more recently Irdeto 2 on their Satellite service.

Investments

* Adults Only (33.3%)
* Arena
* Bio.
* The Comedy Channel
* Crime & Investigation
* FOX8
* Fox Classics
* The History Channel
* Main Event (33.3%)
* UK.TV (60%)
* W
* XYZnetworks (50%) - Joint Venture with Austar
o The LifeStyle Channel
o LifeStyle Food
o MAX
o Nickelodeon Australia (50%)
o Nick Jr.(50%)
o Channel V
o Channel V2
o The Weather Channel (Credit: Wikipedia).

Interviews

Kim Williams - 10th August 2006 (via The Media Game)

Foxtel has recorded its first full year profit of $4million thanks to its ongoing focus on delivering a superior entertainment experience to its growing number of subscribers. Its increase in ratings to a 55.9 per cent share of viewing in subscription television homes also reflects FOXTEL’s leadership in digital media.

Kim Williams - 3rd July 2003 The Australian Media Forum#2 - click here

Profiles

Fox Studios

Confidential

The Contender

Arena

Project Runway

Australia's Next Top Model

The Lifestyle Channel

Sky News Australia

National Geographic

National Indigenous Television

Aurora Community Channel

The Weather Channel

Discovery Travel & Living Channel

Websites

Media Blog

Australian Sports Entertainment

Website: AustralianSportsEntertainment.com

WWE

Articles

More Channels for Digital TV, by Greg Tingle - 15th December 2003

Pole position - The Sydney Morning Herald

Press Releases

NINE AND FOXTEL SECURE AUSTRALIAN BROADCAST RIGHTS TO THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS AND 2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS

OpenTV Announces Definitive Agreement to Provide Full Suite of Interactive Services to Foxtel, Australia's Leading Subscription Television Service - 22nd January 2004

FOXTEL PUBLICITY SUMMER WEBSITE LAUNCHES TODAY

Monday 17th December 2007, sees the launch of the first ever FOXTEL PUBLICITY SUMMER WEBSITE - www.foxtelpublicity.com.au

More than ever this summer FOXTEL is hot hot hot with an unrivalled line up of top quality, exclusive local and international content, ground breaking innovative television and unquestionable choice for viewers.

From movies, sport, premier special events, documentaries, top-line kids programming, the latest music, entertainment and family viewing – FOXTEL has something for everyone!

This new and exclusive media website will provide you with all you need to know on the key shows of the summer, images and broadcast details, allowing you plan ahead right into the end of February 2008.

Also on the site is an up to date contact list for all FOXTEL channels with direct access email addresses and phone numbers. A simple, easy to use contact system to direct all enquiries easily.

To use the site is simple, click on the URL link above and register. You will then be emailed a unique user name and password for your access to the hottest channels on Australian television.

FOXTEL turns up the heat, and you can be there throughout the whole of summer to be firmly at the forefront of the hottest schedule ever.

Order FOXTEL from Telstra now for 24 months with an eligible Telstra home phone and get: FREE standard installation, FOXTEL’s BEST package HALF PRICE for first three months* and up to 50 FREE local calls each month.** A saving of over $295. Once installed, you can change your package anytime.
When you take up this offer and start on the Platinum package you get to experience FOXTEL's best package for HALF PRICE for the first three months. Once installed, you can change your package at anytime. Simply call us and we'll help tailor a package that's right for you, starting from just $37.95 per month.
And as a Telstra customer adding Foxtel, you get additional benefits! A choice of either 50 FREE local calls1 or 50 FREE SMS every month2. If you also have a Telstra mobile or Big Pond Internet there are even more reward choices! Find out now!

*. Not available all areas. Offer ends 15/06/08. For new FOXTEL from Telstra customers. Min package cost of this 'Platinum Offer' and HomeLine™ Plus combination is $3,102.66. Not available in regional WA. FOXTEL marks are used under license by FOXTEL Management Pty Limited.

**. Limits apply on the number of services that may be included. Only one Reward Option per account. Reward Options are incompatible with any other packages, some offers or Telstra's Pensioner Discount, Unused calls expire monthly. Excludes some calls.

1.Unused calls expire. Local call offer excludes some calls, for example, calls to '13' and '1300' numbers.

2.SMS offer excludes premium and online text messages. Unused text messages expire. SMS from your home line requires a compatible SMS fixed phone.

Disclaimer

Please note: Travel Tourism Media and its director Patricia Feijoo, PR Media Man Australia and its director, Greg Tingle, do not work for Telstra or Foxtel. They have however championed the Foxtel name on Australian and international radio, articles and on the internet. Greg Tingle has also pitched questions to Foxtel CEO, Kim Williams. Media Man Australia has successfully pitched to Foxtel, Fox Sports, News Limited, News Corp and Fox Studios Australia