Foxtel goes big on drama as it changes the way it does movies
The Pay TV giant has lumped movies and drama into one new package called Foxtel Movies & Premium Drama – and dumps its ‘Showtime and Movie Network’.
The change comes after it bagged a landmark ‘exclusive’ deal with TV giant HBO to broadcast major series like Boardwalk Empire, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Girls, and Entourage hours after they air in the US.
The popular shows will screen on ‘showcase: the home of HBO’, the dedicated drama channel, along with seven movie channels, on Foxtel Movies & Premium Drama.
The revamped service offers “premium” movies and drama in HD, ad free, and Foxtel says it has also increased ‘On Demand’ movies available.
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Here’s a list of all the channels in Movies & Premium Drama: Premiere HD & Standard Def, Premiere +2 SD, showcaseHD & SD, showcase + 2 SD, Action/Adventure HD & SD, Comedy HD & SD,Drama/Romance HD & SD, Family HD & SD, Thriller/Crime HD & SD, Masterpiece HD& SD, World Movies SD.
Richard Freudenstein, Foxtel Chief Executive, said the move is part of a “revolutionary change to the way Australians will be able to experience movies.”
“Our research told us customers want one destination for their movies, as well assimple navigation to find the movie they feel like watching.”
“We will continue to be the leader in strong appointment-to-view premium US programming,” Freudenstein promised.
Current subscribers to both movie packages will automatically receive all seven new movie channels as well as HBO’s channel, World Movies and the two +2 channels (Premiere and showcase).
Foxtel Movies & Premium Drama will be available from January 1 and Foxtel say it provides “amazing value” as the price wont go up.
The Foxtel- HBO deal, announced last month, also means free-to air channels like SBS 7 or 9 wont be showing any of the series, which Foxtel hopes will increase its subscription numbers, which it is desperately seeking to bump up.
“You won’t see programs like Boardwalk Empire end up on SBS in a couple of years. It removes their ability to sell in a second window to free-to-air television,” said CEO Richard Freudenstein said.
