Media Release: Thursday October 30, 2014
Tonight at the Foxtel-MCN 2015 Upfront presentation, subscription televison broadcaster Foxtel unveiled its highly-anticipated line up of new and returing programming for 2015 and discussed its recently announced plans to broaden access to its subscription services to Australians everywhere. The event took place at the Sydney Theatre and was attended by the stars behind Foxtel’s favourite shows and a few new faces set to take to the Foxtel screen.
Foxtel Chief Executive Richard Freudenstein reflected on the past year highlighting the massive achievements that have taken place over the past 12 months including the completion of the Austar merger, improved content deals, new technology platforms and the launch of Foxtel’s new pricing and packaging, which is set to kick off in a matter of days.
He made special mention of two key developments designed to enhance the customer experience, notably the upcoming launches of the iQ3 set top box and the much vaunted triple play service of TV, broadband and home phone.
Mr. Freudenstein said, “2014 has been our busiest year ever. We have been working incredibly hard to put all of the pieces in place to bring Foxtel to the widest audience possible and starting in November, we are poised to kick off a new era in growth. We’re particulary excited to launch our new pricing and packaging, which will see our existing customers getting even more value than ever from their subscriptions at no extra change while giving the many Australians who have not previously considered Foxtel a great reason to take another look.”
Foxtel continues to offer the very best content available and is home to the best television programming from around the world, much of it, like HBO, on an exclusive basis, along with major agreements from world-class studios including Showtime, BBC Worldwide, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Disney, CBS, Sony, Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox.
Foxtel is also gearing up to launch its all new BoxSets channel, dedicated to offering subscribers live and Anytime access to some of the most popular programming available from the subscription service. At launch titles available will include Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, True Blood, Boardwalk Empire, Band of Brothers, Wentworth, Dexter and many more.
In addition, Foxtel is strengthening its High-Definition offering across all of its premium content packs by adding nine new HD channels bringing the total HD channel count to 36 starting in November.
Mr. Freudenstein added, “People love to binge watch and people love to see great content in brilliant HD, so we’ve made a big effort to meet those demands head on with our new BoxSets channel as well as boosting our already great HD offering.”
Foxtel also announced a series of strategic content agreements set to bolster its ability to provide the best possible programming for subscribers starting with an unprecedented deal that will see Seven Productions produce one of Australia’s most watched drama series, A Place to Call Home, exclusively for Foxtel. The move is expected to delight the shows already passionate fans and includes an order for two more seasons of the popular period drama, the first beginning in 2015.
Foxtel Executive Director of Television, Brian Walsh said, “Inspiring story telling is what Foxtel is about and A Place to Call Home is Australia’s most loved drama series that has captured the hearts of millions of fans across the country. We are proud to partner with the Seven Network on this landmark deal and ensure that audiences can continue to enjoy this beautifully crafted and elegantly produced series.”
Foxtel and Network TEN have also co-commissioned a new Australian production, Gogglebox, a show about people watching television. Gogglebox will screen on Foxtel’s LifeStyle Channel and captures the reactions of ordinary Australians as they watch the evening news, debate over politics, cheer their favourite contestants and digest current affairs and documentaries.
Mr. Walsh said, “Gogglebox is like nothing else ever seen on Australian television, it is a true game changer that is set to hook audiences in a fun and entertaining way and we can’t wait to see your reaction when we share it in 2015.”
Returning to The LifeStyle Channel next year will be the hugely popular Selling Houses Australia for its eighth season, the fifth season of Grand Designs Australia, and the third season River Cottage Australia.
Foxtel also strengthened its offering of the best in drama by extending its exclusive output agreement with HBO. The deal sees Foxtel offering exclusive access to all first run programs by HBO as well as Anytime (On Demand) access to complete seasons of library drama and complete past seasons of returning drama series. The deal ensure showcase, the Home of HBO, will continue to feature new seasons of popular shows like Game of Thrones, Veep, Girls, The Leftovers and a brand new season of True Detective starring Vince Vaughan and Colin Farrell. Other new HBO series coming to Foxtel include The Knick, a new drama starring Clive Owen and Olive Kitteridge, a four-part miniseries starring Frances McDormand and Bill Murray.
“We’re thrilled to continue bringing our viewers new and award winning programming that Foxtel is known for, whether it’s Game of Thrones, True Detective, Top Gear, Gogglebox, Call the Midwife, Real Housewives, Sky News or Fox Footy, these are the must-have brands and Foxtel is where to find them,” added Mr. Walsh.
The event also saw Foxtel confirm a line-up of programming for 2015 headlined by more world class drama and locally produced TV series. Marquee titles that will spearhead Foxtel’s Australian drama include Deadline Gallipoli, starring and executive produced by Sam Worthington. The compelling four hour miniseries captures the heartache and futility of war as seen through the eyes of the journalists who reported it; The Kettering Incident, a gripping eight episode mystery thriller with otherworldly overtones based in small town Tasmania starring Elizabeth Debicki and Matthew Le Nevez; and the break-through prison drama, Wentworth will return for a third season.
From Foxtel’s brand new channel, BBC First, comes locally produced Banished, starring David Wenham as Captain Arthur Phillip, in an epic drama about Australia’s first convict settlers. Joining Banished is the iconic BBC drama Call the Midwife, a huge worldwide hit, along with Death in Paradise and the twelfth season of the widely popular New Tricks.
Foxtel’s showcase and SoHo channels will premiere steamy love story, The Affair along with other popular series returning in 2015 including internationally acclaimed Orange is the New Black, Outlander, Ray Donovan, Black Sails and the final season of Mad Men.
Kicking off FOX8’s summer line up are two new US hit programs including super hero adventure, The Flash and the funny uplifting new series, Jane the Virgin.
Adventure and stories of the human spirit will feature strongly in The Raft, Remote Survival and The Watch (National Geographic); while Shark Week and Bear Grylls will continue to amaze viewers on Discovery. Joining Discovery is the brand new Discovery Kids, featuring inspiring, family oriented and educational programming; while the kids and family channels, including Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network will continue to offer great family entertainment.
A&E will debut a local version of the international hit Pawn Stars, a highly entertaining series featuring a remarkable Australian trio of pawn experts who have spent the last 20 years buying and selling hidden treasures.
Foxtel also announced a major new comedy project combining the talents of Rick McKenna and Laura Walters who will unite to create a brand new 20 episode comedy television series for The Comedy Channel in 2015.
Foxtel also announced the development of Pacific Heat, produced by Working Dog, a new Australian animated series set to be Australia’s first prime time adult animation also for The Comedy Channel.
Foxtel will continue to provide the best in music video entertainment with its eight dedicated channels across the Channel [V], MTV, MAX, Smooth, and CMC brands.
-Brad