OneHD Under Threat

[Sharky Pete]

OneHD Under Threat
Elizabeth Knight
October 21, 2010

JAMES Packer's $250 million-plus raid on the Ten Network is part of an elaborate plan that could lead to the axing of Ten's sports channel, One HD, and its replacement with a free-to-air version of Rupert Murdoch's Sky News service.

By closing the Ten sports channel, Mr Packer would eliminate a big competitor for the sports channels on Foxtel - the pay TV network that he jointly owns with Mr Murdoch's News Ltd and Telstra.

Under Mr Packer's plan, Sky News would still be screened by Foxtel but would use one of Channel Ten's new digital free-to-air stations as another distribution point, giving it a much bigger potential audience reach.

Until now Sky News has only been available on Foxtel and its regional equivalent Austar.

Since the commercial networks began offering multiple free-to-air channels, the pay television business has been under pressure. The management of Foxtel undoubtedly will fight the Packer move.

A second leg to Mr Packer's investment in Ten involves cutting costs by axing the network's expensive plans to boost its news service between 6pm and 7pm, part of which involved installing news and current affairs veterans George Negus and Chris Masters.

Mr Packer would rather see a cheap alternative of reruns of programs such as The Simpsons.

Cutting network operating costs would be an essential element to making a return on his investment. But while the theory is elegant enough, the execution will put Mr Packer into battle with the management and board of Ten.

In a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange last night, Mr Packer's private company, Consolidated Press Holdings, confirmed it now owned more than 186 million shares in Ten, or 17.8 per cent of the stock.

As the stake might not be sufficient for Mr Packer to push through his plans, he may need to enlist the support of regional TV tycoon Bruce Gordon, who owns 12 per cent of Ten, and Perpetual Investments, which has about 10 per cent.

At this stage, Mr Packer has no plan for a full takeover bid.

Mr Packer ended his family's association with free-to-air television two years ago when he sold the last of his stake in Nine Network's parent, PBL Media.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/packers-plan-to-put-sky-on-ten-20101020-16u7s.html?autostart=1

 

[josh11223344]

basketball = gone

 

[Sharky Pete]

basketball = gone

Which would be an absolute ****ing disgrace.

James Packer is a ****ing turd sniffer and should be dragged out the back and ****ing shot in the head.

We get bombarded with news channels anyway. ABC has a 24/7 news service and now that fat **** wants another one.

It's a ****ing joke.

 

[sharks4ever]

i knew there was a reason why he wnted to buy chnnel 10

 

[snapper]

Wont happen. Channel 10 makes too much money out of it. When HD becomes the norm, a new news channel will pop up.

 

[Murphy]

what a shifty guy

 

[Sharky Pete]

For all those who have Facebook.

Here is the petition to lobby Packer to come to his senses.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-One-HD-on-TV/150272995015727

 

[sharks4ever]

done

 

[Gil]

Could he be looking at buying the NRL rights ???????????

 

[Cara Jane :)]

he better ****** not.

 

[sharks4ever]

they need a NRL only channel that plays classic games in the off season

 

[Cara Jane :)]

fox sports has got that with chooseday night footy and classic matches.

 

[sharks4ever]

not in the off season they dont

 

[Cara Jane :)]

really?
thats ****.

 

[sharks4ever]

they havent played it since Grand final week

 

[Cara Jane :)]

how gay.
what about fox sports 2 and 3?

 

[sharks4ever]

Nope only Rugby League is the four nations which is why there needs to be NRL only channel

 

[Cara Jane :)]

thats so stupid, three channels asn no playbacks, as iff they would.
but i suppose, in aussie culture, summer is traditionally for cricket and no other sports really, so that will on 24/7. :|

 

[IronShark]

What a disgrace, just more evidence of why media ownership in Australia needs to be regulated. Packer and Murdoch controlling not only Pay TV but now free to air as well. What could possibly be worse?

This would be a poor result for the next NRL TV rights deal as most of the potential bidders will all be affiliated.

I've said it before, News Ltd = EVIL.:No:

 

[A.Snowden]

What a disgrace, just more evidence of why media ownership in Australia needs to be regulated. Packer and Murdoch controlling not only Pay TV but now free to air as well. What could possibly be worse?

This would be a poor result for the next NRL TV rights deal as most of the potential bidders will all be affiliated.

I've said it before, News Ltd = EVIL.:No:

:good: With ya there Iron...They have got there claws in so deep with the Nrl and control so much of it...