noted on stuff.co.nz today:
The line between television and the internet is set to blur further on Sunday, when TiVo will go on sale in New Zealand.
But Sky Television and Maori Television are set to take some gloss off the launch of the hi-tech personal video recorder, refusing to allow their programme listings to be displayed on TiVo’s electronic programming guide (EPG).
Television New Zealand paid A$8 million in March for a one-third stake in TiVo’s Australian and New Zealand licence holder, Hybrid Television Services.
The surprise decision by Maori TV to withhold EPG data follows tensions between Maori TV, TVNZ and the Government over broadcasting rights to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Maori TV spokeswoman Sonya Haggie says the broadcaster had not been presented with a compelling business case.
Hybrid chief executive Robbee Minicola says TiVo viewers will still be able to watch all channels broadcast by FreeviewHD, while Telecom customers will also be able to receive programmes and services downloaded to their televisions via an unmetered broadband connection.
Sky spokesman Tony O’Brien says it decided not to provide Prime’s listings until at least 2012 because Hybrid cannot track viewer numbers. He says it is also “slightly uncomfortable” with the exclusive nature of the partnership between Hybrid and Telecom, which will sell TiVo for $899. “We like to partner with all internet providers.”
Mr O’Brien denies Sky has been motivated by any concern TiVo might negatively impact on Sky’s pay-television service.
“Any free-to-air broadcaster finds ratings are quite important. TiVo is not expected to measure ratings data until late 2012 and we would be happy to look at the situation again at that stage.”
Sky provides EPG data to other Freeview-compatible decoders that also cannot record ratings, but Mr O’Brien says gains in viewership outweigh other considerations.
Ms Minicola says the decision is very unfortunate and would hurt Prime and inconvenience viewers.
She says Maori TV boss Jim Mather “just decided that he didn’t want to do it”.
Maori TV has less than 1 per cent of television viewership and Hybrid would encourage concerned viewers to take up the EPG issue direct with the broadcaster, she says. “I am not going to sit here and fight with people who have changed their minds.”
Hybrid is expected to release more details of TiVo’s online service late this week, promising at least one surprise. Viewers will be able to use TiVo’s broadband connection to download new and recent-release, pay-per-view movies and archived television programmes.
But there is speculation that Hybrid will look to quickly introduce a wider range of more futuristic services to avoid the lacklustre initial take-up experienced in other markets, including Australia, where about 35,000 were sold in its maiden year.
TiVo-equipped television sets could provide access to online shopping services, news services and games. They could also be used to make video calls in conjunction with a home phone.
MediaWorks marketing manager Roger Beaumont says it has formalised an agreement with Hybrid that will see TV3 and C4 listings included in TiVo’s EPG, after indicating in March that it was in no rush to allow this.
Selling content through TiVo is not a priority for MediaWorks, however. “We will explore those opportunities as it seems viable.”
WHAT TIVO CAN DO
- Show all FreeviewHD channels (but no Prime or Maori TV programming guide data).
- Record two programmes at a time straight to a built-in hard drive.
- Be programmed to record programmes remotely over the internet.
- Pause and rewind (by up to 30 minutes) “live” television.
- Show programmes and movies downloaded over the internet (Telecom broadband customers only).
- At least one “surprise” in the wings.
bummer