50 replies to this topic

[davidhes]

Knowfirst is reporting that W is being replaced by a new channel called SoHo, from August 20. The channel currently airs in HD on SkyTV in NZ.

http://www.knowfirst...ead.php?t=43548

The channel airs premium HBO shows like Game of Thrones, Board Walk Empire, Mad Men etc. I for one would be incredibly happy if this is true, I don't pay for the showtime channels but would love access to some of the shows on showcase. I just don't understand how this channel could air those shows if showcase currently has the rights to them in australia?

[Gray Connolly]

What about the Young and The Restless, Ohhhh The Humanity!!!!!!!!!

[wheelz]

Didnt they just announce W was moving into the basic package?

[BamBBBam]

W and TCM I believe

As long as they keep Jeopardy, I'll be happy

[doodlefeatures]

wheelz, on 25 June 2012 - 02:47 PM, said:

Didnt they just announce W was moving into the basic package?

ha, this is probably why, it's free for 3 weeks until it disappears

[davidhes]

Sounds legit: http://www.dailylife...0625-20x1n.html

Very happy. Quality hbo shows in the basic package.

[laurie]

Ok for not wanting to sound dumb what does SoHo means! I assume its not the computer meaning Small Office.....

cheers laurie

[BamBBBam]

wheelz, on 25 June 2012 - 02:47 PM, said:

Didnt they just announce W was moving into the basic package?

Yep here
http://www.foxtel.co...on-s-173194.htm

"From July 1, there will be an improved channel line-up for all subscribers.
Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild and MTV Live will be available to AUSTAR subscribers in high definition (HD) for the first time. Eurosportnews is moving into Starter Pack and MTV Hits and MTV Live will be added to the Fun Option.
FOXTEL customers will receive two new 24 hour English language news channels, Al Jazeera and CCTV News. W and TCM will also move to the FOXTEL Get Started package."

[davidhes]

Fingers crossed that it means soho will replace w in the basic package. Seems like a much better channel. Had a look on the skytv website. Has some great new shows and classics like the sopranos, the wire etc.

[doodlefeatures]

laurie, on 25 June 2012 - 05:22 PM, said:

Ok for not wanting to sound dumb what does SoHo means! I assume its not the computer meaning Small Office.....

cheers laurie

It's a 'trendy' part of Manhattan that is "SOuth of HOuston (Street)"

[doodlefeatures]

This will take a bit of a chunk out of showcase you would think

[sirhc55]

doodlefeatures, on 26 June 2012 - 08:21 AM, said:

It's a 'trendy' part of Manhattan that is "SOuth of HOuston (Street)"

It’s also a part of London so named since circa 1660

Edited by sirhc55, 26 June 2012 - 10:20 AM.

[Aussiedude]

booo!! when i watch shows on Showcase i love the fact that there are no ads in the program. this is bad news for all the HBO type shows. they will force ads into them.

[DansDans]

davidhes, on 25 June 2012 - 04:35 PM, said:

Sounds legit: http://www.dailylife...0625-20x1n.html

Very happy. Quality hbo shows in the basic package.

Link is dead

Smells like a fake story to me.. a lot of this doesnt make sense, but happy to be proven wrong

[davidhes]

DansDans, on 26 June 2012 - 11:39 AM, said:

Link is dead

Smells like a fake story to me.. a lot of this doesnt make sense, but happy to be proven wrong

I wish I had copied the text of the article and posted it here. It was definitely up there, it has indeed been taken down now though. The info was posted by Michael Idato, a Daily Telegraph reporter for tv/media. My guess is perhaps foxtel have asked him to take the article down? None of the info had been released by them. I'm going to send him an email and tweet asking where it has gone.

[davidhes]

If you do a google search for "soho channel coming to foxtel". The first link is actually the article, entitled "Newsroom gets an airdate", you can see the first few lines of the article.. "The new Aaron Sorkin series The Newsroom will make its Australian debut on a new Foxtel drama channel, SoHo, which will launch on August.." However when you click on the link, it is dead.

[Aussiedude]

i think if they will rebrand W they would do it when they move it into the basic package, rather than wait 6 weeks then rebrand it

[DansDans]

davidhes, on 26 June 2012 - 01:51 PM, said:

If you do a google search for "soho channel coming to foxtel". The first link is actually the article, entitled "Newsroom gets an airdate", you can see the first few lines of the article.. "The new Aaron Sorkin series The Newsroom will make its Australian debut on a new Foxtel drama channel, SoHo, which will launch on August.." However when you click on the link, it is dead.

The other odd thing is for Foxtel to take the name of a channel thats not from the US - thats seems really strange

[Knowfirst]

hey guys - Mark from Knowfirst here.

Just to clarify - Michael Idato first reported the story in the SMH Guide yesterday.

TV Tonight is also aware of the story and was trying to get some quotes from Foxtel today.

Here is Idato's original story in full:

Quote

The new Aaron Sorkin series The Newsroom will make its Australian debut on a new Foxtel drama channel, SoHo, which will launch on August 20.

The deal supercedes the previous arrangement HBO had with the pay TV channel Showcase, and an 11th hour attempt by the Ten Network to snatch the show.

SoHo will replace the existing female-skewed drama channel W and will feature "premium drama channel" content but will be available on the platform's "basic" tier.

The channel will screen Foxtel's Prisoner remake, Wentworth, next year and will have access to HBO's program library, including previous seasons on True Blood and catalogue titles such as The Sopranos and Six Feet Under. It will also screen new seasons of Damages and Boss.

It's no secret Foxtel is having trouble trying to market the 15 or so movie channels it has across two different groups (Showtime and Movie Networks) and is looking to bring all movie contracts, being up for renewal over the next 2 years) into the Foxtel umbrella, which will make it easier to market to customers.

[Knowfirst]

Here is the SoHo channel's branding campaign in NZ, when it launched around 1 year ago:

[DansDans]

Knowfirst, on 26 June 2012 - 06:24 PM, said:

It's no secret Foxtel is having trouble trying to market the 15 or so movie channels it has across two different groups (Showtime and Movie Networks) and is looking to bring all movie contracts, being up for renewal over the next 2 years) into the Foxtel umbrella, which will make it easier to market to customers.

Thanks for clarifying a few things here

As part of the Austar merger, wasnt there a caveat from the government that Foxtel couldnt control more than a certain percentage of the movie studio film rights?

[Knowfirst]

DansDans, on 27 June 2012 - 09:24 AM, said:

Thanks for clarifying a few things here

As part of the Austar merger, wasnt there a caveat from the government that Foxtel couldnt control more than a certain percentage of the movie studio film rights?

There certainly was.

They undertook with the ACCC not to seek exclusivity for movies, either in linear channels or on demand, from more than 50 per cent of the major studios or more than 50 per cent of the eight key independent distributors.

We'll likely see the end of the Movie Networks and Showtime brands, and probably see the channels all rebranded under "FOX Movies" - so "FOX Movies Action" and "FOX Movies Family" et al or something similar.

It makes it easier to market to customers and advertisers as well.

[heathjb]

did anyone notice the NZ promo said at the end.. in really little print, free for a month but then $9.95 a month after that..will foxtel move the shows off the movie packages we have then stiff us with a additional charge each month to get what we already had... probably??

[BamBBBam]

Knowfirst, on 27 June 2012 - 09:33 AM, said:

probably see the channels all rebranded under "FOX Movies" - so "FOX Movies Action" and "FOX Movies Family" et al or something similar.

That's the way it works in other countries..

[DansDans]

BamBBBam, on 27 June 2012 - 10:45 PM, said:

That's the way it works in other countries..

Except for the US who have Showtime, Starz and HBO channels

I just cant imagine Showtime being re-branded after almost 18 years narrowcasting movies in Australia