New Freeview channels take bite out of pay TV – and even bigger one out of sister channels
Free television and subscription TV are in a fierce debate over who is winning the viewing battle after Freeview issued data which CEO Robin Parkes suggested showed there was “no need to pay for TV”.
Freeview issued an analysis of OzTam ratings saying that the share of audience for secondary free to air channels outstrips that of subscription TV channels. The channels include 7Two, Mate, Go, GEM, Eleven, One, ABC2, ABC News 24 and SBS2.
However, the subscription TV industry has hit back, saying that most of Freeview’s growth has come by cannibalising the audience of the free-to-air networks’ main channels.
According to Freeview’s analysis of OzTam data for the first six months of the year, the secondary channels’ share has risen to 19.53% to subscription TV’s 16.14%. For last month only, their metro audience share has risen to 20.25% while pay TV’s share was 15.42%.
According to Parkes: “This is an outstanding endorsement of Freeview by the Australian viewing public, and very firm evidence they agree that there’s no need to pay for TV.”
But subs TV sales house MCN responded with its own analysis, saying that when viewing is taken into account from 6am to midnight, all television is up in the 16-54 demographic with pay TV the biggest winner. It said: “STV audiences are up 5.4% year on year, total television is up 4.1% and total FTA audiences are up 3.7%.”
MCN boss Anthony Fitzgerald said: “The truth is the real impact of FTA digital channels is on their own audience. Freeview channels continue to cannibalise the main channel audiences.”
He said that although the free networks’ overall share was up 4.1%, their main channels had all lost out to Freeview, down a total of 14%. The biggest loser was Nine, down 19.6%, followed by Ten, down 17.6% and then Seven down 5.4%.
The MCN analysis said that 27.5% of the free to air audience now comes from Freeview, compared to 12.3% last year. The most extreme example is the Ten network, with 29.8% of its audience now coming from One and Eleven. This was narrowly followed by Nine with Go and Gem contributing 29.6%. Mate and 7Two provide Seven with 23.6% of its audience.
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Honestly, it’s like two flies arguing over who has the biggest pile of shit…
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MCN are full of it. FTA is up YOY!
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Oi TV Media Buyer, take heed you muppet!!
MCN is not saying FTA is not up. In fact the opposite. Get a clue before posting stupid comments. I pity your clients.
Specifically:
MCN boss Anthony Fitzgerald said: “The truth is the real impact of FTA digital channels is on their own audience. Freeview channels continue to cannibalise the main channel audiences.”
He said that although the free networks’ overall share was up 4.1%, their main channels had all lost out to Freeview, down a total of 14%. The biggest loser was Nine, down 19.6%, followed by Ten, down 17.6% and then Seven down 5.4%.
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Maybe the government should allow other channels (e.g. Lifestyle) to broadcast on Freeview now that it is an established platform? Won’t happen though as media policy in this country is written by CH9 & 7 as demonstrated in the anti-siphoning legislation.
Farce.
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Freeview IS full of it! MCN is up YOY!
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I said to a mate the other day about Pay TV. ‘Why pay for crap when you can get crap for free’? The only difference I could see is that pay tv just has more crap to choose from not necessarily better viewing. And with the alternative main network channels the best thing about seven2 is it doesn’t have Australia’s got Talent or Dancing with the C-Grade stars, eleven doesn’t have Masterchef with the arrogant judges and Go doesn’t have The Block with over exposed and overratted Scott I endorse everything Cam or Jamie Durie’s dreary whatever it is. That can only be a plus for the main networks. As soon as they start repeating these ‘entertainment shows’ on thier other channels I suspect the ratings would change.
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Damo, you obviously don’t have Foxtel.
3D, On Demand and masses of first run top quality programs from Australia and around the world. Every AFL game live next year.
Can’t you afford it?
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If one of the free TV channels had live premier league football I guarantee you pay TV subs would drop by 20% in Sydney and Melbourne. Throw in Amerivcan Idol and they’d be b*gger*d in the burbs.
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“CEO Robin Parkes claimed suggested showed” – couldn’t you decide on just one word?
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Good point, well paid Anonymous. Now trimmed down to two out of the three…
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
If I ran a bed and breakfast, or a small hotel I would not bother with Foxtel / Austar. Free TV is just fine thank you very much.
I agree with the Premier League comment. If free to air could grab that space that would be amazing(.) That just aint going to happen though, or is it..?
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TV seller I gather you work for MCN, meaning you wouldn’t think outside the box ie Foxtel, Austar…… take a look outside your daily scope prior to posting mate. Save the industry your crap. Firstly if you look at the typical STV buy only including a minimum of ten channels, not the several Channels which take a .2 of total viewing…. Then compare it to the FTA digitals delivering higher audience share vs your MCN offering….
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TV seller, one word for you mate. Reach…. FTA delivers my reach for all my buys………
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I think if you look at it they both deliver unique reach and very low duplication, build this into your schedules first then top up with 7,9,10… that will give your client the most efficient buy….
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A well constructed TV buy will contain a balance of Freeview and STV stations.
This will optimise both efficiency and reach.
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@Stevo yes I can more than afford it, it’s not a matter of cost I had Foxtel once but found personally for me it was shit mostly. Or maybe this forum is just a way for you to let everyone know just how successful you really are because you have Foxtel as you stroke your enormous ego how proud you must be, although my guess is you work for Foxtel trying to sell air time or subscriptions. Shame comments on this site have to resort to personal attacks instead of opinions whether you agree with them or not, but I guess resorting to personal attacks such as my ability to afford or not afford Foxtel is the best you can do.
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I wish Foxtel would adopt the words “Pay TV” instead of the mouthful “Subscription TV”.
The average punter would never use the word “subscripton” when referring to Austar or Foxtel.
Similar to Westfield Sydney – it’s referred to as “Centrepoint” by everyone on this continent except the people at Westfield.
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What Damo said!
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Hang on Damo (what FTA do you work for?), you just contradicted yourself re personal attacks.
Anyway, being able to afford Foxtel means that you more than likely have a decent disposable income.
Therefore a Foxtel viewer is worth more than a FTA viewer in terms of propensity to purchase.
Quite a simple equation.
Look beyond the numbers mate.
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My girlfreind and i got pay tv three months ago. Our free to air viewing has reduced to approx 10% of our total viewing. Just saying… survey of one!
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