Foxtel has signed a major deal with US television network HBO that will see it fast-track international shows including Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire within hours of their original airdate.
The agreement comes just weeks after Network Ten announced it was fast-tracking 13 US shows, and is likely to heighten Foxtel's reign over the local pay TV market. Its subscribers will be given "exclusive" access to HBO programs such as True Blood, Girls, Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire, hours after they air in the US. Miniseries, comedy shows and documentaries are also included in the deal, with the majority of the content set to air on Foxtel's channel Showcase.
The subscription television network, which currently serves 2.3 million homes nationwide, will also air re-runs of past HBO shows including The Sopranos and Six Feet Under on its new channel SoHo. SoHo was unveiled in August and premiered with HBO's newly launched format, The Newsroom.
Last month, Network Ten revealed it was fast-tracking a host of US shows in a bid to boost months of flailing ratings. The move was aimed at steering consumers away from illegal downloading or using peer-to-peer programs, with Ten currently screening 13 American series including Hawaii Five-O, NCIS, Homeland, New Girl and The New Normal. However, the move has not yet gained major traction, with drama Homeland still falling short of its first season's one million average.
This could stem from the fact that Ten's fast-tracked shows still only arrive in Australia several days after their launch overseas, while Foxtel's deal will see programs aired locally just hours after launch in the US.
Free-to-air television rivals Nine and Seven also screen imported shows, offering seven and three programs respectively.
Foxtel chief executive Richard Freudenstein said: “This deal will ensure our customers will always see these compelling HBO shows exclusively first-run, with many of the key dramas broadcast express from the US as soon as the day after their original airdate.
“HBO content will premiere on Foxtel’s premium drama channel, Showcase, which will become Australia’s ‘home of HBO’. In addition, subscribers will be able to rediscover a library of classic HBO shows like The Sopranos and Six Feet Under on our newest channel, SoHo which successfully launched to all subscribers in August with the premiere of HBO’s latest hit series, The Newsroom.
“I can also announce that one of the first of the new offerings that we will bring to customers will be HBO’s forthcoming police drama True Detective, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson."
HBO International and Content Distribution president Simon Sutton said: “We believe Foxtel will be a terrific partner and we look forward to working with them to bring the latest and greatest HBO entertainment to audiences in Australia."
Foxtel is owned by Telstra (50%), News Corporation (25%) and Consolidated Media Holdings (25%).
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