This month, Foxtel and Austar will be Pay-TV rivals no more, after Foxtel’s application to acquire Austar was green-lit by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on 10 April. The transaction was subsequently approved by the Federal Court on 13 April. Foxtel currently services major cities and Western Australia while Austar services rural and regional Australia; a concerted move by Austar to avoid a head-on clash. The potential good news, Foxtel asserts, would bring the … [Read more...] about Australia: Pay-TV giant Foxtel buys Austar
Australia
Breaking: Australia’s FOXTEL and AUSTAR set to merge after regulator ACCC gives green light
FOXTEL and AUSTAR will join forces to create a national subscription television service for all consumers after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) today accepted an undertaking from FOXTEL and green lit the transaction to merge the companies. The transaction is subject to final Federal Court approval on 13 April. The ACCC said today it had accepted a set of undertakings offered by FOXTEL in order to facilitate the merger process. On 30 March 2012, AUSTAR … [Read more...] about Breaking: Australia’s FOXTEL and AUSTAR set to merge after regulator ACCC gives green light
Aussie telco wins copyright case
Optus has won its bid to air live sports content via its TV Now mobile TV service. This week, the New South Wales Federal Court found Optus did not breach the Copyright Act by showing last year's NRL and AFL matches live online with TV Now. The mobile service lets Optus customers record free-to-air television from their smartphone or computer and watch it on the same devices with a delay as little as two minutes. Justice Steven Rares cited "time-shifting provisions" in the Copyright Act that let … [Read more...] about Aussie telco wins copyright case
More A+E in Australia
New York/ Sydney – A&E Network, a flagship channel of global media content company A+E Networks, is launching in Australia on FOXTEL on 16 February. The factual entertainment channel will carry original, unscripted entertainment series. It is the latest channel from A+E Networks to be offered by the FOXTEL Channels Group, which currently operates History, Crime & Investigation Network and Bio in the country. A&E Australia will also offer “home grown” content. It has … [Read more...] about More A+E in Australia
TVNZ’s top man crosses the ditch
Rick Ellis, Chief Executive of State broadcaster Television New Zealand (TVNZ) announced his resignation today. Company chairman Sir John Anderson said Ellis would be joining Australia’s Telstra from January next year. Ellis will be in charge of a new Telstra division called Telstra Digital Media, overseeing the telco’s Sensis, Bigpond, Trading Post and IPTV businesses, and Telstra's partnership with Foxtel. Anderson acknowledged Ellis's 10 years of service as TVNZ chief executive, … [Read more...] about TVNZ’s top man crosses the ditch
Phobias abound in Australia
Omnilab Media’s Ambience Entertainment in partnership with Chocolate Liberation Front (CLF) has commenced work on the Australian animated series The Adventures of Figaro Pho. Ambience Entertainment Producer, David Webster says, “This Australian series is a great example of how an industry can work together from both a financing and creative point of view and cross state borders to maximise talent and support for the project. Figaro Pho will employ a team of 47 people in Sydney, 22 … [Read more...] about Phobias abound in Australia
