Binge gets an advertising tier as Foxtel sets out its wares for 2023
Welcome to a Friday edition of Unmade. Today: Unpacking last night’s Foxtel Upfronts event.
Unmade’s paying members get two complimentary tickets to our agenda-setting Marketing in 2023 event promoted in the ad above. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find the discount code you need to access it. Otherwise, tickets are $69 each.
Foxtel gets (further) into the ad game
Nine had a smoke machine.
Paramount had a smoke machine and flame throwers.
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Foxtel’s content slate seems pretty strong. Caveat: at the moment. Once they presumably lose the HBO output deal things will be a lot more dire.
Some things I see that might happen:
-they lose HBO, then a combined HBO Max and Discovery+ offering launches in Australia and Foxtel loses not only HBO content but also the Discovery channels of content.
-Disney takes away ESPN from Foxtel and adds ESPN+ to the Disney+ bundle to have a live sports offering in Disney+. This might not happen in the short term but I can see it happening long term.
-Disney removes more and more FX shows from Fox Showcase if they haven’t already and puts them on you guessed it Disney+.
Disney in the USA is raising prices on Disney+ in December. I haven’t heard news of that price rise happening in Australia. But last time they added a price rise they added Star. This time it’s going to be being ad free that is the differentiation I think.
So what will Foxtel have to do strategically? Most likely double down on live sports. Double down on Foxtel Original content. Double down on Sky News Australia to try and hook the Sky After Dark superfans.
How much longer can Flash keep going on? It’s handy to have the Flash app on my Apple TV when I’m already using the Apple TV. Easily switch over to CNBC or Bloomberg. But I’m getting it for free because I’m a Foxtel Satellite subscriber.
And Tim, I ask you this. When will Foxtel finally release a Foxtel app for the tvOS/Apple TV? People are asking nearly every day for it in the Foxtel Fans Facebook group. They have a Foxtel app on the Google Chromecast + Google TV (2020). And Apple have just released a new generation Apple TV 4K (2022). Maybe time for Foxtel to get their act together. They are the only noticeable omission I can think of on the Apple TV apps wise. The Kayo, Binge and Flash apps are great on Apple TV. But I already pay for Foxtel Satellite so don’t wanna double up with Kayo and Binge. Solution: let traditional Foxtel subscribers have access to Binge and Kayo. Haha. I can dream. Would the migrate the legacy Foxtel family of apps over to the Streamotion backend?
As for the Foxtel upfronts, I’m looking forward to Love Me, Upright & The White Lotus season 2, Succession season 4 and Euphoria season 3. Also Colin From Accounts and The Idol look promising. And the Australian summer of cricket and the AFL season next year. I wonder if Fox Footy will be able to have their own commentary on the Channel 7 simulcast matches.
I wonder what Foxtel will price the Binge ad supported tier at. I notice Netflix’s ad supported tier has many limitations. 1 stream at a time. Wouldn’t you want volume in regards to advertising? Why limit it to 1 stream at a time?
Great piece as usual Tim. As you can see I am very passionate and interested in Foxtel as a topic.