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Foxtel to offer full series of House of Cards online

Foxtel will screen Kevin Spacey drama from May and allow Showcase subscribers to view the full series from the get go.

2013-04-04_1047House of Cards, the acclaimed Kevin Spacey drama series produced for Netflix in the US, is coming to Foxtel.

It will premiere on Showcase in a special three episode marathon on Tuesday, May 7 at 8.30pm AEST.

In a new move, Foxtel has also announced all 13 episodes will be available for Showcase subscribers to watch from Tuesday, May 7 at 8.30pm AEST via its On Demand feature on the iQ.

Foxtel iQ customers who have their set top unit connected to the internet and subscribe to showcase will be able to download every episode of the series On Demand and watch when suits them.

House of Cards is an explosive and powerful drama series produced by Media Rights Capital (MRC) for Netflix (an online subscription video service) and distributed by Sony Pictures Television.

Brian Walsh, Foxtel Executive Director of Television said, “The Netflix strategy for the House of Cards release recognises the online audience is hungry for content to watch either all at once, or at a time that suits them. By offering the complete first season to our own online customers on Foxtel Go and On Demand we are providing Australian audiences an alternative to broadcast viewing and giving them the option to watch the entire series when they like.”

Mark Young, Senior Vice President of Distribution for Sony Pictures Television in Australia added, “House of Cards brings together the best talent in front of the camera and behind the scenes to create a riveting, unforgettable story that has wowed audiences and critics alike. We are excited to be partnering with Foxtel to bring this much-talked-about series to Australian viewers.”

Upon its exclusive all episode debut on Netflix, lead actor Kevin Spacey said: “We want our audience to be more intrigued and to want to know more. It’s sort of the way that audiences are watching TV now. They consume in large chunks. They stay home all weekend and watch three seasons of Breaking Bad. And I think that we are primed to fit in that particular wheelhouse.”

The full series special offer is for Foxtel Go, Foxtel on Xbox 360, Foxtel on Internet TV and Foxtel On Demand customers who subscribe to the showcase channel.

3 Responses

  1. Good work, Foxtel.

    It’s not an original idea from SBS either to be fair. In the US, iTunes allowed season pass purchasers for Downton Abbey series 3 to download the last four episodes in advance of their PBS screening.

    Smart move for content that has already aired in other markets.

  2. SBS must be cheering at the moment that they pitch their idea to offer this concept to four of its series and within days Foxtel takes the same approach. It would have been nice of Foxtel to have given SBS some credit for the idea though.

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