ten hd

The Australian 17 July
"THE Ten Network is considering launching a sports-only channel from next year as part of its expanded multi-channelling offering, in a move that would have the new channel compete with pay-TV's Fox Sports franchises.

Media understands the move is at the top of a list of options being considered by Ten for multi-channelling, when the three commercial free-to-air networks are each permitted to launch an additional standard-definition channel from the beginning of next year.

Other options examined by Ten include launching a lifestyle channel that would include cooking, travel and home-renovation programs.

The revelations provide a glimpse into how the free-to-airs may think ahead of next year's launch of the new standard-definition channels, and specialised content directed at certain demographics is likely to feature prominently.

A consortium of free-to-air networks, including Ten, Nine and Seven, regional networks including WIN and Prime, and the ABC and SBS, formally announced yesterday the establishment of Freeview as a consumer marketing platform for the new digital channels.

Ten has been quietly upping the sports quotient on both its main free-to-air and existing high-definition multi-channel in recent weeks, in what appears to have been a way of testing a broader sports offering on its multi-channels.

Tellingly, it has been running MotoGP and Formula 1 grand prix events live on its HD multi-channel, with other programs running simultaneously on its main channel.

Ten surprised sports fans at the weekend by showing live the Wladimir Klitschko-Tony Thompson boxing world heavyweight title fight in the early hours of Sunday on its main and HD channels.

It was the first time a free-to-air has run a world title fight, an area pay-TV has dominated, in more than a decade.

"We haven't got any comment," Ten spokeswoman Jeannette McLoughlin said.

"It's entirely premature to signal what our plans might be."

David Malone, chief executive of Premier Media Group, which operates Fox Sports and is 50 per cent-owned by The Australian's publisher News Limited, also had no comment.

Ten has the rights to several major sporting events. These include its joint coverage of the AFL with the Seven Network and Foxtel, two of golf's four "majors" (US Open and US Masters) as well as the year's four world golf championships, cricket's emerging powerhouse the Indian Premier League and the motor sports events.

And Ten is likely to bid for the rights to golf's British Open when Nine's rights expire after this week's event at Royal Birkdale.

The golf majors can be repeated on the multi-channels and many of the other events for which Ten has deals, such as the IPL cricket and the motor racing events, are largely free of regulatory requirements and can be screened live or on delay on the multi-channels.

But AFL games are contractually unable to be shown on the multi-channels after their first screenings on Ten's main channel.

The US Masters is on the Government's anti-siphoning list, which protects viewer access to major events on flagship free-to-air channels, and must be first screened on the main channel before the multi-channels.

Ten expects the IPL cricket, for which it has signed a five-year deal worth $10-$15 million, to provide substantial content across its channels, as the tournament turns the sport on its head.

Ten's head of sport, David White, told Media last month he expected the 59-match tournament to "be massive (in Australia) in two to three years' time".

The weekend's world title boxing screening has indicated Ten will compete with pay-TV to bid to win one-off events from rights holders.

Meanwhile, Nine is keeping its options open on Big Brother and is believed to be considering buying the show for 2010, potentially to derive full benefit from introducing it across its main free-to-air and multi-channelling stations.

Nine and Ten have privately indicated their new standard-definition channels could be six months later than the January 1 launch date, as the networks grapple with the channels' business model and technical issues.

Sources have suggested any move by Nine on Big Brother would be at a cost dramatically lower than the $28 million a year paid by Ten to production house Southern Star for its 2008 series."