Media Tonic

Now there’s a headline that wouldn’t have made any sense ten years ago. The rest of this post covers off latest developments in Subscription TV as they relate to the West Australian market.

Subscription television numbers continue to grow nationally; current rate of growth is 5% (Dec 09 vs Dec 08). WA is a poster child for subscription growth; penetration here is now 32% of All People (OzTAM). That’s one percentage point behind Melbourne; remarkable given our late start…

MCN continues to show Free To Air stations a clean pair of heels technologically; the free iPhone ap lets IQ subscribers (55% of Foxtel households) check schedules two weeks in advance, remotely record programs and set reminders. They can also access Green Button advertising; click during a TVC to download content to the IQ hard drive. Gives rise to some cute interactive possibilities where you use a single ad to trigger a story, a competition or an information package.

XBOX Live users can now subscribe to Foxtel without the need for a set top box. This targets young people who move house often.

Mobile Foxtel already has 100,000 subscribers and ad packages are available separately for that medium.

MCN has a presentation which discusses the (extensive) cannibalisation of FTA by their new digital stations. Happy to send you a copy under cover of darkness.

Brian Walsh says Foxtel are “now Australia’s first choice in home entertainment”; probably a fair call. If you’d like to discuss a campaign or debate the stats, hit the green button on your iPhone now. 9388 7844.

Thought we’d start with the Kim Williams quote:

“Since the launch of digital in 2004, this is the most significant milestone in FOXTEL’s history. With FOXTEL Next Generation, a new phase of television will be created for Australian consumers. We are moving forward, adapting technology to give our subscribers the power to tailor viewing to their needs.”

Over 30 new channels, the launch of the download service and an improved interface. For example, iQ users just hit the green button during a promo to queue a program for later viewing.

As of Oct 1st, subscribers have three viewing options; Live, On Demand and Record to iQ. All subscribers will have free access to iQ but there are a range of iQ products. The download option (free to subscribers) allows viewing over the net – true viewing portability.

10 new HD channels, 16 dedicated movie channels, new sports channels and 8 timeshift channels. Net, new technology, new content and unprecedented flexibility. There’s good detail on the specifics at the Foxtel site.

Hoping this is a trigger for you to re-examine the balance of your FTA/subscription spend since further market share gains for subscription seem likely. Of course, Dave and Mark are keen to provide stats or brief you personally. 9388 7844.

Oil and gas leases: Government says “Use It or Lose It”
Water licences: Government says “Use It or Lose It”
Rights to broadcast sporting events on television: Government says: “Hi”.

Kim Williams, in his talk to the National Press Club on June 16 said that 75% of sport on the free-to-air protected list is not broadcast, live or delayed. As he’s done many times, he called for a Use It or Lose It approach to sporting broadcast rights. It was a speech filled with common sense.

In view of the slated $43 billion investment in high speed broadband, he called for an early review of the Broadcasting Services Act rather than what’s currently planned: a 2011 After The Equine Has Bolted Review.

This guy has some strange ideas: “It’s time we put the consumer at the centre of media regulation. The purpose of any new rules should not be to protect some media companies or help others”. Honestly, Kim.

By the way, if you’d like a briefing on Multiview Analytics, the new measurement system that starts July 1st across all subscription TV, give us a call. Dave or Mark; 9388 7844.

Well actually they chose MCN, who Media Tonic represent in Western Australia. Details, details.

1.5 million unique visitors a month visit the foxsports.com.au site. In 2008 the most viewed sports web site in Australia. In August it was 18% ahead of 2007 levels.

So as a result of this very sensible re-alignment, you now have the ability to combine TV sport and online in a single buy. Or, as we like to say, a Powerful and Valuable Multimedia Sports Proposition. If you call us to discuss, we can say it to you over the phone. Dave or Mark: 9388 7844

UK research commissioned by Thinkbox and the Internet Ad Bureau looked at detailed behaviour of ‘tech-savvy’ users as an indication of future media patterns. Interesting conclusions:

Our industry partners Foxtel are very strong in this area. If you’d like a briefing on future directions, contact Mark or Dave and we’ll put something together for you.
08 9388 7844.

'I tried out for the iPhone ad, but ended up in this.'

Gadget blog Gizmodo and the SMH have fairly downbeat assessments of the Tivo offering. No ad-skipping, smaller hard drive etc. Perhaps a bit tricky to get $700 up front when people are buying iPhones like it’s the Ark of the Covenant.

Here is our preferred option: Foxtel iQ.

The new pre-school channel from the BBC, CBeebies will be carried by Foxtel; their first ad-free station. It’s part of a large scale deal that will see multiple new BBC channels on Foxtel. B&T story here; The Australian calls it an unprecedented proposal and the Media Report interviews the BBC’s Darren Childs on the deal.

Our view is that more quality, branded content will extend subscription TV’s lead over free-to-air in high income demographics. Happy to discuss present statistics with you over the phone – Dave/Mark 9388 7844

MCN’s new web site is waaaay ahead of the pack in terms of product detail and downloadable content. It includes customisable PowerPoint presentations, media packs, complete material requirements and specifications and hopelessly thorough channel information. In the channels section you can specify a demographic or a genre and the database filters the channels down to those relevant. Big time saver.

Yes. But. Is there a competition hook? Will they lavish prizes on me with a launch promotion? Indeed: Media Tonic provide the following clickable image for your convenience …

mcn.com.au

Having taken over the management, Foxtel is to re-brand Arena using the successful Bravo format out of the states. Following programming and branding deals with NBC Universal, the channel is now clearly targetting a 16 – 39 year old female demographic. *Wonders if the reader has a client with this demographic*

Lead product is Heidi Klum’s Project Runway, the fashion design reality show to be hosted locally by Kristy Hinze (pictured, as you do). Other content includes Top Chef, My Life on the D-List, Entourage, Celebrity Apprentice and Janice Dickinson’s Modeling Agency.

Foxtel’s Brian Walsh describes the new brand as “very contemporary, very bold and very heavy on graphics”.

The new look Arena launches May 4th. Source

The subscription TV industry has announced a new audience measurement system which increases sample size by a factor of eight (up to 10,000 peeps) and will allow measurement of time shifted viewing. So we’ll be able to measure viewing of programs you haven’t even watched yet.

The system will pull data from set-top boxes and include accurate measurement of interactive advertising campaigns. In the words of Foxtel CEO Kim Williams, “every single press of any button on the remote control” will be recorded, allowing for tremendously detailed insight into audience behaviour.

The new measurement system is unnamed at present and we at Media Tonic feel this is a job for the West Australian ad industry so we are awarding a bottle of warm climate shiraz to the best suggestion. No, two bottles! Email your ideas to mtreasure@mediatonic.com.au. Prize announced in the April newsletter.