It has been confirmed today that Stan, the Nine Entertainment Co. and Fairfax Media joint venture subscription video on demand service, will launch on Australia Day, priced at $10 a month.As the arrival of Netflix looms, services such as Stan, and Foxtel and Seven West Media’s subscription video on demand service Presto TV, which launched last Sunday, are looking to gain traction in a highly competitive market.
Given Netflix is expected to launch on March 31, there isn’t much breathing space for the local market, while the past couple of months have seen a number of announcements from both Stan and Presto regarding various content partnerships.
One of Stan’s major drawcards is Better Call Saul, the prequel to the hit series Breaking Bad, for which it has secured first-run rights, along with all five seasons of Breaking Bad.
Better Call Saul will premiere on Stan on February 9.
Among the television shows making up the Stan catalogue will be the entire seasons of Transparent, and Mozart in the Jungle, while all episodes of Fargo will be available upon launch.
Other shows to feature will include: Masters of Sex, Hannibal, Ray Donovan, Californication, The Good Wife, Sherlock, Call the Midwife, Top Gear, and Doctor Who; with Australian programming to include: Ja’mie: Private School Girl, Redfern Now, and Rake, along with all seasons of Underbelly, House Husbands, and Love Child.
Included in the movie catalogue will be: the entire collection of James Bond films, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, along with film franchises, including The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Robocop, Rambo, and Terminator.
Stan has also previously announced a partnership with SBS, bringing SBS’s World Movies to its line-up, while a content licensing agreement with Viacom International Media Networks will bring a variety of kids, comedy, animation and reality series to Stan, including Dora the Explorer, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, and Bubble Guppies.
Stan states all its titles “will be available to watch instantly in up to full-HD on multiple platforms, including television, tablets, computers and mobile phones”.
