A new year without resolution

On January 1 2009 our Free to Air networks have the freedom to launch new channels with alternative content -something they have longed for and something they have teased us with.

But now it sounds like nobody’s ready. Nine and TEN could be as much as six months late.

One senior TV executive told The Australian, “There is a technical issue, in that there are issues about the capacity and infrastructure to deliver breakaway channels with separate content. There is also no clear business model, which means there is no real urgency to solve the technical issue.”

Multi-channelling, or splitting the digital TV signals to provide extra channels, has been portrayed as a potential saviour of the free-to-air TV industry. Products such as the Seven’s TiVo, are relying on the content from the new channels to provide a compelling range of program offerings in competition with pay TV.

Another top level free-to-air TV industry executive said the timing of the unveiling of the new standard definition multi-channels may be pegged to the launch of Freeview in Australia, which is believed to be slated for a date some time in the second quarter of 2009: “Nine and TEN may be waiting for the launch of Freeview in order to have a good consumer proposition to go along with the newchannels.”

Seven, however, may be more advanced in its plans and could launch separately to enhance TiVo’s value.

Industry sources believe it will be some time before multi-channelling sees the networks offer three channels of unique programming. One prominent network executive said: “If you’re asking: ‘Can any one of the three commercial players have three fully separate channels?’, the answer is no, I don’t think they can. It’s not going to happen. No one’s ready.”

Source: The Australian