Foxtel to axe Ovation Channel
Arts lovers get bad news as the Ovation Channel is told it will no longer be broadcast on Foxtel from early 2010.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Subscription
The Ovation Channel is set to disappear from Foxtel and Austar platforms in early 2010.
A statement appears on the Ovation Channel’s website which says:
The Ovation Channel has been advised that from early next year it will no longer be broadcast on Foxtel.
As a result Ovation will also not be available on Austar.
In the meantime, Ovation will continue to provide you with the excellent arts and entertainment programming that you have enjoyed for over 13 years.
Ovation thanks you, its large and loyal audience, and invites you to make a comment if you wish.
The channel, which focusses on classical music, concerts, theatre, ballet, and the performing arts, was started by Optus TV and sold to Sydney based firm Independent Entertainment in 2006. It also airs on the SelecTV subscription network.
The channel is popular with many elderly viewers, and has been almost single-handedly responsible for the success of Andre Rieu in Australia. Some have cheekily branded it “Channel Andre.”
Its original hosts have included Leo Schofield, Ita Buttrose, Glenn A. Baker, Lenny Bartulin, Michelle Hanna and Cyrus Meher-Homji. It supports several arts organisations including Sydney Symphony, The Australian Ballet, Glen Street Theatre and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. This year it recorded specials at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival including Bernadette Peters.
Whilst the reasons behind the move are unclear, the channel was included in the new pricing packages as part of the Knowledge & Adventure in early November. A new satellite giving Foxtel extra capacity for its new channels went up in August. Only last week Foxtel included the channel on its list of current widescreen channels to TV Tonight.
At this stage it is unknown when the channel will exit the platforms, if it will be replaced with a new Arts channel, or whether subscribers will see a reduction in their subscription package.
The Ovation website is also encouraging viewers to express their feelings to Foxtel via email [email protected]
TV Tonight will be following this story with interest….
UPDATED March 9: Ovation will no longer be on Foxtel packages, to be replaced by arts channel STVDIO, but will become available as an add-on channel from June 1st at $9.95 per month. More info.
79 Responses
Wow! Where is Bio going to steal its content from now? If I recall both André Rieu and Inside The Actors Studio where both huge hits for Ovation… which Foxtel then went and out-bid them on.
So, if this is about ratings, then Foxtel can hardly complain about Ovation’s poor performance if they steal all their best programming, can they?
Besides, ratings are irrelevant these days, as Foxtel management well knows!
STV is supposed to be about choice, and satisfying small niches to make a whole.
Foxtel either just can’t get this idea through their thick, ratings-obssessed heads…
Or it’s all a ruse to assimilate more channels into their “O&O Empire”.
This might make great sense to the accountants. But Foxtel can’t add channels without effecting the performance of their other channels. Think: 111 Hits, or Arena (which they bought from xyz).
I’m sure the ultimate goal for Foxtel must be to own and operate all the channels.
“Watch what happens” to choice then.
The way the more appealing programmes aired on Ovation (Actors’ Studio etc) have been gradually shifted over to the Bio Channel, even the normal viewer could see a shift in favours from the parent broadcaster. A bloody shame. This is one Pay TV channel that was run by a small Australian group of people who loved the Arts. Other bloggers are right- there’re plenty of crap channels on Foxtel that obviously pay for the priviledge. I just hope we get to see the final of “All You Need is Love before FoxPigs pull the plug.
That leaves the door open for Disney Channel and Nickelodeon to have their own Timeshift Channels since Ovation’s now getting the chop, Quick Anyone want to start a Save Ovation Channel Campaign?
There is no reason why Ovation cannot be shown thru the Austar subscription because Foxtel doesnt want as there are programs on Foxtel not available to Austar.
Also Discovery and the Movie channels on Select and theres no talk of cancelling them from the Foxtel/Austar mix.
I too think there is more to this story and probably increases either Ovation cant or wont meet are the reason for the channels demise.
I will be sorry to see it go because it was there I first saw Andre Rieu and became a fan.
I think we need a statement from Ovation of the reasons for the channels removal from the Optus satelitte.
Can’t say i say i have watched anything full length on Ovation but all i ask is for Foxtel to delete commercials/promos during all shows & to put them after the full program,please?It is as bad as fta.
Very sorry to see this channel go – I watched a few excellent concerts & shows on Ovation over the years.
Maybe they could replace it with a better Arts channel – which includes more musical theatre elements.
Although I rarely watch anything on the channel it’s a shame they’re dropping it.
Please why can’t Foxtel/Austar get rid of Fashion TV,TVSN or Expo?
Something doesn’t add up. Ovation ads have been running quite heavily lately, plus as Reubot said, Kim Wiliams used Ovation as an example of arts content just a few days ago.
I’m wondering if Ovation are running out of money, and went to Foxtel for an increase, and got declined? They do run a lot of infomercial and home shopping “programs” …
What’s Foxtel”s side of the story?
Andrew B says: … Maybe it is a conspiracy to get more Andre Rieu DVDs sold? …
I did think this at first (ha), but I think its really the opposite … there was a time when Ovation was the only place for Andre – his DVDs weren’t available in Australia, but over the years, Universal Music has gone stupid releasing anything it can get its hands on … as someone whos worked in the CD / DVD industry, I can swear as soon as something ‘Andre’ is released, all the oldies are in to buy it, no matter what it is (re-releases of the same old crap etc)
That wouldn’t help the channel – most oldies I know love their high quality viewing, with surround sound etc, so I’m sure they’d rather buy the DVD and watch that, rather than watching a low quality broadcast version on Ovation … although its the same with a lot of their other programs – also available on DVD.
Terrific news. That means there is one less place for Andre Rieu to appear and i am happy with that !
Yes Ovation is currently in 16×9, maybe they can now get Arena or Comedy in WS?
Foxtel has capacity for more than 500 channels and still can’t find a space for Ovation? That’s disgusting!
So I assume Foxtel monthly fees are going down as a result? Yeah right 😛
Was Ovation even in WS? It wasn’t when I had Austar.
You’d hope the HD channels would be showing arts programmes. If you’ve ever seen opera or ballet in Blu-ray you’d understand why.
There’s at least another dozen (or more) channels that should’ve been axed before Ovation.
This is crazy by Foxtel I will save $16 per month when I disconnect the package that Ovation was on 🙁
laurie
As a foxtel subscriber I must say not sorry to see it go. and I actually agree with Tony they should also axe the chns he mentions in his post And I might add if they dont replace the axed chn/chns then the subscription should reflect that??
So I can blame this channel for Andre Rieu’s success in Australia? Good riddance to the channel then.
That made me laugh when it said – Whilst the reasons behind the move are unclear . Yep they are definitely talking about Foxtel .They aren’t clear about anything!! When I saw home shopping started to screen on Ovation I thought that was like the beginning of the end and it was !!!
Here the other channels they have axed in the past .They make sure they disappoint a variety of viewers . FOX Soap/Talk, Tech TV, Soundtrack Channel, FOX Footy Channel, History +2 and Ovation.
The term – give with one hand , take with the other .that’s what Foxtel is best at !!!
and there should have been a full Australian programming channel by now .
They don’t even consider Australian shows hits enough to be on 111 HITS !!
I think we may see an ‘Arty’ channel from the BBC next year – or a franchise model from the US. Ovation is pretty crap actually – maybe they can axed Expo, Australian Christian Channel, NITV and Aurora at the same time 😀 ?
It’s a Christmas miracle!
Where will Andre Rieu fans get their weekly fix then? Maybe it is a conspiracy to get more Andre Rieu DVDs sold?
Seems an odd decision as there are no doubt channels there that would rate alow lower than Ovation (assuming the decision is in fact ratings based).
Just 10 days ago Kim Williams said that Ovation had ”more operas, plays, ballets and orchestras than you can poke a conductor’s baton at.”
Such a turnaround seems fairly suspicious…
I mean if Austar and Foxtel are no longer going to be carrying the channel I presume that means Ovation is going to go under?
Once subscriber fees from Austar and Foxtel are lost, Ovation will have lost 95% of it’s income. Not sure if Ovation carries advertising, but I doubt that nor subscriber fees from the tiny Optus TV will be enough to keep Ovation afloat.
Whilst Austar and Foxtel reserve the right to choose which channels they wish to carry (the same way Coles & Woolwortha reserve the right to choose the products they carry) it’s pretty dissapointing that Austar & Foxtel woul choose to axe and Australian produced arts channel, while continuing to import foreign produced channels like E!, Fashion TV, CNN and Style
one would think ovation already charges Austar and Foxtel ultra low subscriber fees in the range of a couple of cents a subscriber. If it’s financiallydriven, how much can Austar and Foxtel be hoping to save?!
Very disappointing. Whilst I didn’t watch a lot of it, it was one of the channels I scanned the guide for the odd gem.
Must be a money issue (particularly since it is being taken off Austar “as a result”) …. there are plenty of truly dud channels they could get rid of and no one would care…. Expo, ACC, TVSN.