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Foxtel separates Freeview channels

Why aren't all the Free to Air channels on Foxtel aligned together in the EPG?

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Last week TV Tonight looked at the problem of Free to Air Networks not airing their full suite of channels to Foxtel’s satellite subscribers.

But today the question of Foxtel’s EPG menu is addressed.

Since the introduction of Free to Air digital channels such as ABC2, GO! and 7TWO none have been aligned on the menu of the Electronic Programme Guide alongside other Free to Air channels:

126 ABC2
129 GO!
127 7TWO
179 SBS TWO
723 ABC3
202 ABC News 24
210 ONE (Cable only)

The channels are available but not particularly obvious to subscribers.

So is Foxtel reluctant to align them alongside other Free to Air channels because it might reiterate to subscribers that there are now more Freeview channels available?

A Foxtel spokesperson tells TV Tonight, “The category of ‘Channels 9, 7, 10, ABC and SBS’ was a special category created for the existing Broadcasters as at the date of Digital launch.

“The category is limited to those channels as it is at odds with the general structure of the genres in the Foxtel EPG, namely, channels are listed under categories and grouped according to genre and channel type. For example 7TWO is considered an entertainment channel and as a result in the line-up of GE channels. One HD is a HD channel on HD bandwidth so sits in the channels that are also HD.”

But if the menu category is “Channels 9, 7, 10, ABC, SBS” then surely ABC2 and SBS TWO should be grouped here?

All the channels remain accessible if viewers select them by their channel number or via their genre groupings.

But it would be nice one day if Foxtel could see fit to align them beside the other FTA channels.

Wishful thinking?

31 Responses

  1. I live in S.A. all we get is the ABC channels (have to have the HD package to get ABC news 24, which is a free to air channel) and SBS channels. we get channel 9 but it says no broadcast on this channel.

    all the other channels aren’t available.

    when I have called and asked about this I have been told something different each time.

    1. It’s because they (foxtel) can’t show eastern states news programs to other states.

    2. It’s only available to cable subscribers.

    3. It’s because of live programming, the free to air networks don’t want programs going to air earlier than they should. (eg. Today would start at like 330am in WA, that would have a huge impact on ratings).

    all though it amazes me that there isn’t Today West Coast, a live Perth edition.

    anyways… If I want to be able to record fta, I need to get a tivo…. $500.00 later….

    1. My understanding is cable viewers get them all. But what they are not telling you is that there is a cost to add to satellite and there has always been problems about who should foot the bill. So it’s a Mexican stand-off where east coast is deemed a priority because of the numbers.

  2. See Austar actually did something right in this regard.

    They have a category in there EPG called “Local Channels”, clearly making sure not to label them Free To Air or Freeview channels lol.

    All the Terrestrial FTA channels are in there, including Seven, Nine, Ten, 7mate, GEM, One, 11, also all the satalite FTA channels are there including ABC, ABC2, SBS1 and SBS2.

  3. Good call David.
    Foxtel should be lumping all the broadcast channels together, this is clearly the easiest way for a Foxtel customer to find the channel they are looking for.
    Starting with ABC1 ABC2 ABC3 SBS1 SBS2 7-7Two 9-GO! Ten-Eleven
    Followed by the broadcast HD networks ABC24 SBSHD 7MATE GEM and ONE.

    My other major gripe as stated by others is BBC World News, as well as CNBC and Bloomberg being lumped away from the other news networks.
    Sky News, Sky News Business, Fox News and CNN then the Doco channels? Why are BBC World News, CNBC and Bloomberg not next in line after CNN? l.

  5. Given that WA viewers can only get the ABC and SBS, I couldn’t really care if 7, 9, or 10 are split up all over the place. When we get the full suite of channels then I probrably would care, but until them ehhh.

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