Seven Media executives are angry with the CEO of parent Company Unwired after he leaked information on the pending roll out of the new TiVo content service. With an announcement due this week Seven Networks executives are furious that Unwired “stole their thunder”.
Seven Media will on Monday make an announcement re their new TiVo offering for Australia with the media Company tipped to announce a content download service free of any monthly fees. While consumers will pay for an initial TiVo set top, box unlike Foxtel they will not have to pay a monthly service fee.
There is also speculation that exclusive Beijing Olympic coverage will be delivered to the TiVo network along with a 24/7 News service that will take on Foxtel’s Sky News.
Insiders claim that Seven Media management came close to cancelling the launch last month after management from Unwired, a parent Company, leaked information on the roll out of TiVo in Australia. Unwired, who are not doing particularly well in Australia selling Wireless broadband, are set to be used to distribute the TiVo boxes in Australia.
According to Seven Media insiders, James Warburton the network’s sales director “blew his stack” with Unwired CEO David Spence after he revealed to the Sydney Morning Herald last month intimate details in the TiVo roll out.
“Spence got a talking to” said the insider. “Senior management were not happy and he was told in no uncertain terms.” The former CEO of eyewear Company OPSM Spence is struggling with Unwired, which has a reputation for poor broadband performance.
According to the SMH, Unwired will be responsible for distribution, sales and service delivery for TiVo. Spence told the newspaper that distribution network for TiVo would use call centres, e-commerce and retail. “It’s very close to our own distribution model,” he said. “We sell about 80 per cent through retailers.
It is expected that consumers who take up the service could end up getting over 100 channels of content for free however the only hitch will be that users will be unable to remove advertising totally with new software set to deliver a commercial as they try to fast forward.
