Another Australian streaming service ends as Dendy Direct winds up
Independent cinema chain Dendy is to close its video-on-demand service, the company announced today.
Launched in July 2014, the service was intended to offer a broad range of movies for Dendy’s art house audiences and included content from distributors including ABC Commercial, Beyond Home Entertainment, Madman and Roadshow.
The Australian video streaming market has been tough for local companies since Netflix launched its local service in 2015 with Seven West and Foxtel abandoning their joint venture service Presto in 2016, Quickflix being suspended from the stock exchange the same year and DVD rental chain shuttering its EzyFlix platform in 2105.
Dendy attributed the closure to disruptors in the marketplace and changing consumer preferences with the company now focusing on opening new screens in Canberra and Brisbane.
In a media statement released today, the company said: “Dendy launched the service in 2014 to provide its customers with an all-encompassing experience of the Dendy brand at home, creating an exciting synergy between exhibition and digital consumption.
“As a local and independent brand, Dendy Direct prided itself on offering a unique and carefully curated experience for its customers.
“Since launching the on-demand service 4 years ago, there have been several disruptors to the Australian VOD landscape which has changed consumers attitudes and viewing behaviours. The pressures of keeping up with rapidly changing technology have become too challenging for a local independent business. Dendy has decided to focus on its core business of delivering quality cinema experiences to the Australian consumer.
“In June 2017, Dendy expanded its Canberra cinema to a total of 15 screens making it the biggest cinema in Canberra and giving cinema-goers more choice with more titles, more sessions and longer seasons of movies.”
“In November 2017, Dendy opened a brand-new entertainment venue in the new urban redevelopment Coorparoo Square comprising 10 contemporary cinemas including two premium screens and introducing the luxurious Dendy Premium Lounge experience to the Brisbane market.
While some are closing, others are only getting started. Check out our local offering:
http://www.skipi.tv
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More money in licensing to Netflix than marketing to end consumers?
Interesting timing as i noticed that @ESPN are launching their ESPN+ online subscription service today and you would think “it should” be a nice little earner for $DIS
….but wondering if people are going to already be “peak subs” with their Netflix and Amazon prime accounts.
– https://www.facebook.com/LiveTVchat/posts/10156234581215138
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The idea was right for Dendy but the execution was terrible. On two seperate occasions I tried to stream movies and it was a hair-pulling, frustrating experience with terrible customer service.
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Totally agree. Clunky site, so many problems just to stream (prob not with my speed) and as previously stated the most appalling customer service.
Such a shame to loose Dendy Digital as it filled a void in the Arthouse market that Netflix/Stan has little interest in perusing.
Can anyone suggest some other sites that cater for a similar Arthouse crowd ?
Thanks, Rob.
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Really hope that locals are able to stay afloat in this market.
It won’t help Australian stories be told, or Australians get work in the biz, if Netflix is the only viable player.
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