Foxtel launches ‘Express from the US’
Foxtel has begun a campaign to bring US television to Australian lounge rooms as soon as possible after the show goes live in the US. The ‘Express from the US’ campaign aims to no only increase Foxtel subscriptions but cut down on piracy of the network’s inventory.The announcement:
Foxtel’s express from the US campaign is putting Australian customers at the heart of global rollouts for some phenomenal dramas.
Today, Sons of Anarchy Season 5 starts on showcase just two hours after it launches in the US.
Next week, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire Season 3 will start on showcase on Monday at 5.30pm, just five and a half hours after the US premiere, and on Wednesday, Lost creator JJ Abram’s new series Revolution will premiere on FOX8 36 hours after its NBC debut.
FX will launch the The Walking Dead Season 3 on October 16, airing the episodes in Australia just 33 hours after the US.
Foxtel’s express from the US strategy is a major initiative to deliver the hottest series to Foxtel customers within seven days of the episode screening in the US and in many cases this is coming down to a matter of hours.
Foxtel Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh said, “Foxtel customers are television lovers so, as a company, we can’t expect them to wait for these highly anticipated international program launches.
“The express from the US proposition is a powerful differentiator for Foxtel, we have always said watch what you want when you want and now, more than ever before, we can say watch with the world.
“Ignoring the audience demand for shortening the delivery windows is only serving to stimulate piracy, which as an industry we are compelled to quash.”
Favourite shows, faster than ever – only on Foxtel
“Foxtel’s programming and acquisitions teams and many of our channel partners have been working to fine tune contracts and the mechanisms for the physical delivery of these hot international shows in order to deliver a better entertainment experience for our customers,” Mr Walsh said.Flagship general entertainment channel FOX8 is forging ahead with the launch of Revolution on September 19, Wednesdays at 8.30pm and Australian actress Rachael Taylor stars in 666 Park Avenue, which starts October 1, Mondays at 9.15pm – which is within 12 hours of its US debut.
FOX8’s September and October schedules feature the return of some its biggest shows, also being delivered under the express from the US banner:
- Grimm Season 2 from September 30, Sundays at 8.30pm, episode 5 onwards FOX8 will broadcast within 36 hours of US.
- Gossip Girl Season 6 from October 9, Tuesdays at 8.30pm within 12 hours of the US.
- The Vampire Diaries Season 4 from October 17, Wednesdays at 7.30pm, within seven days of the US.
- Hart of Dixie Season 2 from October 8, Mondays at 8.30pm, within seven days of the US.
Plus, as always, WWE Raw and WWE Smackdown air on FOX8 within 48 hours of the US.
FOX8’s summer lineup will include Last Man Standing Season 2, within 36 hours of US broadcast, and American Idol Season 12, within 12 hours.
From today, September 12, showcase’s premiere of Sons of Anarchy Season 5 at 3.10pm will be two hours after the US east coast and just 10 minutes after the episode starts on the west coast. The episode will then also air Sundays at 8.30pm. Boardwalk Empire will premiere from September 17, Mondays at 5.30pm, with a primetime slot Wednesdays at 8.35pm. Then, from October 4 showcase will have Dexter Season 7 airing three days after the US.
Arena’s program schedule has a heady mix of reality shows, populated by some of the most talked about housewives and fashionistas on the planet:
- The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 3 will start November 6 on Arena, airing within seven hours of the US.
- Sitcom Don’t Trust The B**** in Apt 23 has just launched on Arena (Mondays at 7.30pm) this month and the channel has scheduled Season 2 to start October 29, just five days after the US.
Laced with topical humour, The Comedy Channel’s US talk shows, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, are already airing within 12 hours of the US and negotiations are underway with other comedy producers and distributors to add more shows to the list.
Foxtel’s express from the US programming lineup will continue to roll out over summer and in into 2013.
Source: Foxtel press release
If only they’d recognised this blinding customer need many years ago, maybe piracy interest and uptake would be less…
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It took them how long to realise this- “Foxtel customers are television lovers so, as a company, we can’t expect them to wait for these highly anticipated international program launches”.
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