SYDNEY: C-Seven Sport has risen from the remains of Sports Vision after the Seven Network bought the business from liquidators, and the pay TV channels will broadcast NRL matches and 30 AFL matches Ñ Sports Vision had broadcast only 16. Peter Hudson, sales director of Optus Vision ad sales team Pay Television Sales Australia (PTSA), says AFL is the key driver of subscriptions in the Melbourne market, so C-Seven will help Optus Vision increase its subscriber base. Sports Vision, three pay TV channels, was owned by the Seven and Nine Networks and placed into voluntary receivership in June 1998 because Optus Vision failed to invest in a marketing campaign to attract enough subscribers, said an industry insider. Pay TV channels are paid higher fees when their distributors Ñ Optus Vision, Foxtel and/or Austar Ñ gain more subscribers. Optus Vision now has 200,000 subscribers, but by this stage it had planned to have twice that number, according to the source. Optus has the third largest number of subscribers behind regional pay distributor Austar, which has 300,000. Foxtel is the leader with 410,000, and is Optus VisionÕs main competitor because they both target large cities. The liquidators closed the dedicated AFL channel and broadcast the AFL matches on one of Sports VisionÕs other two channels. Apart from that, Sports Vision has continued to broadcast as usual. Hudson admits that Optus Vision has not devoted enough resources to a marketing drive, which he attributes to changes in management structure at Optus Vision. However, Hudson has been privy to the pay TV ratings data he commissioned from AC Nielsen, which will be released gradually from this month, and says advertisers will be impressed when they see the Optus Vision ratings for sport, movies and MTV. Foxtel has always invested heavily in its subscription marketing campaign. All three pay TV distributors are owned by large multinationals, which is why many in the industry are surprised that Optus Vision fell so far behind Foxtel in marketing its brand. Evan Mistilis
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.
