A fresh take on TV digital services and a new on-demand app offering have debuted today from Foxtel and Network 10 as the pair look to shore up their consumer streaming pitches.
Foxtel today has debuted Binge, a new ad-free entertainment streaming services promising more than 10,000 hours of global content from $10 a month. In what is clearly a shot at on-demand services such as Netflix, Stan, Disney Plus and Amazon TV, Binge is being described as a dedicated service to access TV shows and movies.
It’s being propped up by Foxtel’s multi-year deal with WarnerMedia that sees Foxtel become the exclusive home of HBO content in Australia. Binge will be populated with content from the likes of Warner Bros, HBO and HBO Max, Sony, NBCU, FX and the BBC.
As Foxtel chief, Patrick Delaney, put it last week, the latest brand is aimed squarely at younger streaming audiences and is another pillar in Foxtel Group’s strategy to retain relevance both in the subscription TV and streaming space. The launch comes as Foxtel faces falling subscription numbers and heightened competitive pressure.
Read more: Foxtel taps data to overhaul content, channels, advertising services
“We have been beta-testing the service for a few weeks and we are sure Australians will love everything about it,” Delaney said. “The launch will be another milestone in the Foxtel Group’s strategy to transform ourselves and bring our unparalleled catalogue of entertainment and sports to even more viewers in Australia. Our goal is to consolidate our position as Australia’s preeminent subscription television and streaming provider.”
Binge comes at a three-tiered pricing structure: $10 per month for one high-definition stream, $14 for two streams and $18 for four streams. There are also curated carousels manually curated by teams, the ability to save and watch shows later or pick up where you left off, and ‘Binge Centres’ for complementary information about content.
Binge CEO, Julian Ogrin, said the streaming offering takes its cues from observing content consumption across Foxtel services.
“We have had time to observe and listen to what streamers want from their service. We knew streamers can spend on average 10 minutes trying to find something to watch,” he said. “With innovative features, Binge will make the browsing experience easier, so all customers have to do is sit back and enjoy the shows and movies they want to watch.”
Network 10’s streaming updates
Network 10, meanwhile, took the wrappers off the first phase of its unified app strategy today by debuting the new 10 Play experience available on Telstra TV. The broadcaster is looking to renovate its whole on-demand app offering across Android TV, Samsung and tvOS in coming months to offer a consistent, high-fidelity streaming experience across all devices by the end of the year.
The new platform is being developed on top of You.i’s Engine One cross-channel app platform and boasts of a simplified design and refreshed interface as well as faster content delivery, It’s also supported by new advertising solutions.
Network 10 general manager of digital, Liz Baldwin, said launching 10 Play app on Telstra TV is a significant milestone in its streaming strategy.
“With a compulsory login feature, the new platform will provide further scale to our data and targeting capabilities,” she said.
The broadcaster confirmed Dell, eBay and Mitsubishi as launch partners for the new platform, which is supported by a new array of advertising products for brands, including a Premium Pause ad product, beyond pre- and mid-roll advertising. All three launch partners are using the Premium Pause offering.
Network 10 digital sales director, Sophie Hicks Lloyd, said the latest advertising products were about more immersive opportunities for brands.
“The conversations we are having with the market on the other high-impact, non-intrusive ad products available on the new platform have been really positive,” she said.
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