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Seven to start HbbTV by May

Seven West Media reports a loss of $69.7m in a "challenging market" but confirms changes coming to digital platforms.

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2013-08-22_1821Seven is testing live streaming of its channels to mobile devices and will launch its Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) service by May next year.

HbbTV will allow Seven to offer a Video on Demand service as a new revenue stream.

The statements were made at today’s Seven West Media end of year results for the financial year ending 29 June 2013.

CEO Tim Worner reported a loss of $69.7m following restructure costs and redundancies for its Pacific magazines.

The media company reported a profit after income tax, excluding significant items of $225m, down 0.8% on the prior corresponding period. However, revenues fell to $1.86 billion in the period, from $1.93 billion the previous year.

Tim Worner said the company had performed well in a difficult environment.

“There is no doubt that Seven had a fantastic year,” he told investors.

“Despite a challenging market, the team delivered ratings leadership for the seventh consecutive year. That in turn has delivered a record share of 40.4% of the advertising market. The results are a clear demonstration of the strength and depth of the Television team.

“The three pillars of our Television strategy are I think by now well known to you all. They have been operating consistently and the progress made in each of these areas underpinned the record performance. My Kitchen Rules had its most successful series. It is extremely difficult to keep growing a series year-on-year. They have done it. That of course is a franchise we created and control. We were able to launch another, House Rules, and also another big Australian drama created in-house, A Place To Call Home. We have consistently demonstrated our long-term strength and ability to create new, popular programs which our sales teams can monetise. News leadership was maintained in the year and sports rights have been extended most notably the Australian Open tennis and a package of horse racing including the Melbourne Cup Carnival and the Golden Slipper. We have demonstrated how additional channels can be used to expand our audience with AFL on 7mate in Perth.

“HbbTV product development has commenced and we expect exciting possibilities for advertisers and audiences. All this supports our ambition to deliver our premium content to anyone, at any time, on any device. By May of next year, we will be delivering hybrid broadcast services to connected TVs and we are very determined that our traditional model will fully harness the opportunities that broadband access can provide.

“Yahoo!7 remains an important part of our digital strategy, reaching 8 million Australians each month. Our cross platform strategy saw over 90 million videostreams in the year with an additional 3 million full episodes of Seven’s most popular programs streamed each month. The PLUS7 catch up TV service and the Yahoo!7 TV site has built an audience of approximately 3 million which will grow further as we have just this week extended the service to more mobile devices. I am pleased to tell you the PLUS7 app is currently number one in the entertainment category for iPads. Our audience is also engaged through social media, with the Fango and the 7 News apps leading this market both with over 800,000 downloads.”

10 Responses

  1. The Hbb Tv is not necesary if they spent more time imporoving Plus 7 and the content on Yahoo7 then it would be better. I really dont like it when tv networks try and go after something which is more going to be a fad than improving what they have already got. Then once that is fixed and running well then they can move onto the next best thing.

  3. What does it all mean for the future? Will there be any meaniful metro and regional ratings for all the platforms including free to air, IPTV, interconnected TV, catch–up TV, HbbTV,
    pay per view, video on demand, digital online and mobile???

    The new platform of HbbTV sounds great for national advertisers but where will it leave regional advertisers?

  4. Thanks David for clarifying this. I’ve always been fascinated by the demos vs total people theory. But Seven didn’t win demos after 2011 and still have a large slice of the advertising market. I still don’t believe that demos mean everything, not in this country anyway. There are more older people in Australia and dare I say, more cashed up than say the 25s to 54s or 16s to 39s. Unfortunately, these demo groups drown themselves with a load of debts to live beyond their means. But anyway, it is just my opinion that total people matters more than niche demos.

  6. So Seven has a record share of 40.4% of the advertising market – I assume it is more than Nine and TEN. So they have never really won demos and yet more profitable than their competitors, particularly Nine. In fact, correct me if I am wrong, Seven hasn’t won all the key demos in the last couple of years and yet have the largest share of the advertising market. To those who always emphasise on key demos, would you care to explain?

  7. Maybe with the new platforms we mat to see the last 6 episodes of series 2 of Suits……I doubt it though probably be re runs of Downton and Packed to The Rafters to get max mileage out of the shows.

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