Could Foxtel actually be listening to its customers? News coming from the CEO Peter Tonagh today seems to be leaning in that direction, seriously.
Foxtel’s subscription TV service, Foxtel Play, is getting a pricing makeover “designed to make it competitive” with rivals Netflix and Stan. Foxtel also signed a new long-term agreement with HBO starting January 2017, increasing the broadcasting of HBO content by five times, and allowing you to access the entire HBO library on-demand, forever.
Hmmm.
A “bring your own device” and “bring your own bandwidth” approach to Foxtel Play will be launched in December, with five different entry level tiers between $9 and $15 a month (according to AdNews). There will be two options for drama plus one option for Lifestyle, one for Documentary and one for Kids. There’s also a Sports tier and a Movies tier.
You will have access to all channels in the tier you choose, along with all of the on-demand, catch up and library content available to that tier — plus mobile access via Foxtel Go.
With the new pricing, Foxtel says it is now providing everything from a low cost, low commitment entry point, through to the premium, high end of the subscription TV spectrum via full service cable/satellite set top boxes.
In terms of new content, on top of the HBO deal Foxtel are also creating six new Australasian productions as part of including a a $125 million investment in local content — the first to be announced is a remake of Picnic at hanging rock.
There’s the Binge channel launching 1 October, and also a Stars Wars channel in the works — we can expect that one before Rogue One.
But where does all this leave Presto, Foxtel’s on SVOD baby with Seven West Media? Nothing has been confirmed as yet, but we do know the service hasn’t exactly made headway against its major rivals. Time will tell.