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Today Tonight has come under fire for a story last night which showcased “free, legal television” via internet software over expensive subscription TV models. But the story detailed a one-off payment for the TVU Player, which is actually available free.

The story comes at a time when Seven is launching TiVo in direct competition to Foxtel’s iQ2.

Today Tonight claimed Australians can access some of Foxtel’s channels online at a fraction of the cost.

“Add on features like an IQ Box, High Definition and options like on-demand movies, platinum packages, etc, and it’s clear Foxtel has mastered the art of squeezing as much as it can from its loyal subscribers,” reporter James Thomas said.

TT introduced self-confessed ‘internet geek’ – Jamie Balzan whose website sells software with access to over 2,000 channels.

“There’s over 78 different countries, 400 channels, 1000 channels of movies, 1000 sports channels, you name it”, Balzan boasts.

“You go on to my website, www.dontpaytv.com, and you download the link. There will be an email sent to you, it will be downloadable”, he said.

What is more, he claims it is perfectly legal.

“Perfectly legal, because of the internet laws and the fact that there are advertisement that the company still pays for, and also the ad words, when you click they get paid for as well”.

‘Sports mad fan’ Errol Cruz who bought TVU, has 1000 sports channels to choose from. ‘Its the best $50 he’s ever spent’ said TT.

But as AustralianMedia.com.au reveals, Today Tonight failed to tell viewers Balzan is charging people for downloading what is free publicly-available software. That software, written by American company TVU Networks Corporation, is called TVUPlayer, freely downloaded from the TVU Networks website.

A number of angry viewers have reportedly contacted the ABC’s Media Watch and A Current Affair.

14 Responses

  2. I think both sides are getting scared.

    Let’s be honest. With a little tech know-how, you can get any show you want without paying a cent. And with abc iview, and itunes (very slowly, mind) building up their list of programs people don’t need to pay for things like tivo or foxtel. People are starting to be able to watch TV when they want, without the crap and ads inbetween.

    This is just channel 7’s weak attempt at hitting back at the foxtel crew. if they really believe what they were saying, they probably would of done a report on TVU direct and ignored that guy who is probably making a few bucks out of this.

  3. I just saw it (we get it the next day here) and it was nothing more than ch7 bashing Foxtel, I was amazed they didn’t mention their TiVO during the program and ITA this guy is a fraud! And I feel sorry that Pete had to be on it.

    Thanks for the TiVO ad link Daniel.

  4. Isn’t this program virtually piracy? I don’t think the US cable nets would allow TVU or this chump to broadcast their signal over the Internet.

    Good work 7, in your attempt to bag out FOXTEL, you cut your nose off to spite your face 😐

  7. They even had the Tech Guy Pete Blacina on to talk about it. If he had any tech knowledge at all he would have warned people of this scam. What a poor excuse for a tech guy he has once again proven himself to be.

  8. Of course ch7 are scared, more and more people are signing up to Pay TV every day ’cause they are sick of the limited stuff on FTA.

    I’m still yet to see one advert for TiVO but I see the Foxtel ones every night, you get more and you don’t have a $699 up front cost.

  10. I’m so glad this caught your attention too.

    I thought it was more TT’s style to track down and hound conmen, rather than build a whole segment on providing free advertising for them.

    Is he a friend of someone at TT/Seven?

  11. The last sentence of your first paragraph doesn’t make sense. You’re saying the story is available for free? I think you meant to say the player featured in the story and presented as a commercial product is actually available for free.

  12. Foxtel should take this as a compliment, means seven is threatened by them..it stood to reason that when seven launched TIVO that they would start bagging out FOXTEL.

  14. I saw this by chance last night and immediately smelled the unmistakeable odour of bovine excrement.

    Jamie Balzan’s basically going on national TV to tell the country that not only is he a borderline illiterate bogan-geek (“because of the internet laws” – priceless!) but also that he’s selling software which states VERY clearly, in bright red text on the last page of its setup, that if you’ve paid for the software you’ve been conned and should demand a refund.

    Hmm, wonder if the version Jamie is spruiking retains that text in the setup routine…

    Of course, all this should have set off TT’s bull-excrement radar. Guess you can’t smell it when you bathe in it on a daily basis…

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