Getting TVNZ6 and TVNZ7 on Sky
During the discussions I had with various people at the Freeview presentation last night, the usual topic of why TVNZ 6 and 7 weren't on the Sky platform and how frustrating it is having multiple boxes just to watch television.
While it is ultimately a TVNZ decision and one that Freeview can't really comment on (as they're building a digital platform of their own and leave the individual broadcasters to decide where they distribute their content) it is a valid question and one that definitely needs asking.
By all accounts, the issue lies around Sky getting TVNZ's channels for free. Sky pays other channels for the rights to broadcast so why should TVNZ be any different? Currently TV One and 2 are provided free which happened during the period when TVNZ were stakeholders in Sky but when that agreement runs out, rest assured, TVNZ will be looking for payment.
Failure to negotiate a deal could see TV One and 2 pulled from Sky but I imagine that would be a worse case scenario with both parties blaming the other.
The way I see it, things are going to come to a head when this current agreement reaches term. At this point, you would expect that negotiations will be made bringing TVNZ 6 and 7 onto Sky and Prime onto Freeview. So the question I have is, why wait?
I guess the issue is that Sky have more to lose out of this as they would be forced to either pay a royalty or forfeit the TVNZ channels for sky subscribers. Considering the overwhelming majority of viewed content on Sky is from the free to air channels, I can just imagine how well that would go down with the punters and would be something Sky would be wanting to avoid at all costs. It's all in finding the balance. Can that be found early in order to provide a better service to all viewers or will we have to wait until they're forced to sort it out?
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OJ
Half the trouble is we didn't go dow the road the UK uses where you can buy a receiver that will get the FTA services and if you want "Sky"" then just go get a subscrition and that gives you a card to put in your own receiver to 'unlock' the channels. This locked up box system is basicly disgacefull.
fgwergqwrg
I think that TVNZ has made a good decision as to encrypting the 6, 7 and sport extra channels on the freeview platform. In a way SKY gets heaps and heaps of money from many subscribers, of which pay hefty fees. And which many watch the FTA channels. I mean SKY isnt really volunteering anything back to NZ. SKY is a major corporate which they only invest their millions of earnings every month or a year, just for themselves and still they give nothing back to NZ! TVNZ provides all of its network channels, free-to-air. And like they say: ''The best things in life are FREE!!''.
openmedia
None of the channels on freeview are encrypted.
Technically it is relatively simple for Sky to add TVNZ 6 + 7 to their lineup, its the lawyers from TVNZ who are waiting in the wings that are making them think twice.
fgwergqwrg
I think that TVNZ has made a good decision as to encrypting the 6, 7 and sport extra channels on the freeview platform. In a way SKY gets heaps and heaps of money from many subscribers, of which pay hefty fees. And which many watch the FTA channels. I mean SKY isnt really volunteering anything back to NZ. SKY is a major corporate which they only invest their millions of earnings every month or a year, just for themselves and still they give nothing back to NZ! TVNZ provides all of its network channels, free-to-air. And like they say: ''The best things in life are FREE!!''.
jhjh2000
Failure to negotiate a deal could see TV One and 2 pulled from Sky but I imagine that would be a worse case scenario with both parties blaming the other.y?
i think that tvnz want Freeview to go up in viewers? so y tvnz turn over tvnz 6/7 to sky its will be a worse case scenario for tvnz
openmedia
At the moment Sky doesn't have to pay for the right to re-broadcast any of the 4 major FTA channels. I have a feeling that the TV3 appearance on Sky's HD channel list might have had something to do with C4 suddenly getting a better EPG slot on Sky's platform.
TVNZ would like to see some recompense from Sky for its channels. Plus we mustn't forget that the funding for TVNZ6+7 comes from the government with the intention of growing freeview's penetration, and not to provide Sky with additional channels for free.
I quite agree that part of the ideal scenario should be a swap of Prime for 6+7, but there also needs to be rules preventing Sky locking channels into its platform.
There are a number of channels that could be FTA on freeview but their current carriage agreement with Sky in all likely hood prevents this
The following channels are all independently owned, and in some cases have shown an interest in freeview but then went quiet.
* Juice TV
* Alt TV
* Trackside
* Shine