free subscription long read for those interested

https://www.sportbusiness.com/2021/08/streaming-launches-stir-australian-rights-market-but-deeper-challenges-limit-rights-holder-upside/

Streaming launches stir Australian rights market, but deeper challenges limit rights-holder upside

Kevin McCullagh

August 6, 2021

• Competition for rights has increased due to new sports streaming platforms
• No rights fee boom yet, with some properties instead merely avoiding large decreases
• Upcoming sales of big domestic properties will test new players’ appetites

An outbreak of ‘streaming wars’ in Australia has injected life into a sports media rights market that this time last year looked threatened by a sharp decline.Rights competition has been spurred in the last six months by the launches of new platforms Paramount+ and Stan Sport. There has been surprise competition from formerly niche player Sports Flick and a long-awaited first deal for Amazon. Established players, including Foxtel and Optus Sports, have moved to protect their positions with new rights deals.

Thats an interesting article

The end of Channel 10? Network records its LOWEST audience share since records began - as 'the future of the business depends on the success of streaming platform Paramount+'

• Channel 10 had a commercial prime-time audience share of just 8.9% last week
• This is its lowest share since the OzTAM ratings system began in 2001 
• The network's future rests on the success of streaming platform Paramount+, says former executive 
• Paramount+ is operated by Channel 10's American owners ViacomCBS
• The service will replace 10's existing online streaming app 10 All Access, and the network is promoting it heavily

Before this dismal result, 10's lowest commercial audience share was 9.8 per cent, in the weeks commencing December 23, 2018, and July 25, 2021.

Former Channel 10 executive Rob McKnight told Daily Mail Australia these numbers will have network bosses worried about the company's future.

He said the only thing saving 10 at the moment is Australian Survivor, which has been a modest ratings success, and multichannel 10 Bold.

McKnight, the editor of industry website TV Blackbox, said 10 execs will be hoping for a successful launch of Paramount+ to reverse the company's fortunes.

Streaming platform Paramount+ is operated by 10's American owners ViacomCBS

The service will replace 10's existing online streaming app 10 All Access, and the network is promoting it heavily during programming.

'If it fails, then you can expect some big changes around the corner,' McKnight said.

'Although Paramount+ is a global rollout headed by the U.S. team, you can already see local execs trying to take credit for it. Let's hope is does well in a very competitive market - otherwise the blame game will start.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9883011/Channel-10-records-lowest-commercial-audience-share-2001.html

Perhaps acquisition of the A-League rights will help TEN turn around its dismal ratings performances of recent years, where they are regularly beaten by the ABC.

something tells me that ratings of around 10k per match aren't going to save 10.

the big concern from that article is that it was a former 10 exec that was sounding the alarm.  Lets hope Paramount + is a massive success, and quickly.

I would advise against going the whole12 month upfront subscription with Paramouht just quietly.... Month to month if you really have to

They aren't allowing for the monthly option, the only option is the $89 annual amount. Can't choose a different package option either, only a fixed one. I didn't join because I am not convinced its a one off payment, or whether you pay $8.99 per month on top of that, every year.

I know that Melbourne victory have stated that with buying the $60 yearly subscription through them with the membership it'll give you full access to all a-league, w-league, socceroos, ACL etc etc. 

All I've seen elsewhere that's promoting A-league on paramount is that it's $8.99. So anything other than that would be terribly misleading,  In fact I've read that there isn't a multi tear system in paramount at all,  and not planned to. 

?  The choice was very clear. Monthly or Annual (discounted) with a 7 day free trial.

I keep wondering if you guys are signing up on the actual https://www.paramountplus.com/au/  site or somewhere else?
It is not a double dip. It's per month or per year at the prices quoted.

There's a guide here: https://www.finder.com.au/set-up-paramount-plus

Once you are signed up and logged in, the site it switches to is https://www.paramountplus.com/
Don't go there directly to sign up.

Now everybody's taste is different.  There is no sport content on the site at all at this time.  For me, I wouldn't have bothered to sign up even if it was screaming free, because I am not interested in old (or new) TV series or movies in general.  I have sent off a "please explain" to support seeking response on the matter of football content.  I will support any organisation that itself supports football, at any level, in this country.  So they get my money.  Their communication and presentation of football product has so far been crap.  That can't be a help to them.  

If you're going to hold off then cool.  They need to feel some sort of response to their football offering - positive if it is there, negative if it is not.

i've heard a couple of promotional ads for the new service, family entertainment, movies etc soccer was left of the advertorial script hence no mention in the advertisement

Yeah, I mean I don't want to sound mean to other posters but...

They are either attempting some sort of genius disinformation campaign to try put other users off signing up or they have never signed up for something online in their life.

Yes, some very bizarre things are being said

Sorry no 5th column subterfuge from me, just a financial one responding to AJFs article ... if this doesn't pan out well for channel 10 no use paying up front for a full year if they pull the plug 1/2 way through it.....
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9883011/Channel-10-records-lowest-commercial-audience-share-2001.html

Some deep pockets behind the whole venture, so I would not be expecting them to pull out in the short term.

No doubt paramount will be playing long on their investment in 10, but with deep pockets they can also easily dump low rating programs that dont get them the audience share they want, just look at the rumours surrounding the bachelor getting dropped and that is getting ratings AL would dream of.

Part of the article that was not included in AJF's post sets the poor viewing share for the 10 network in context:-

"The channel had an audience share of 8.9 per cent across the five capital cities during prime time (6pm to midnight) for the week commencing August 1."

This was for the second week of the Olympic Games when 7's ratings were going gangbusters.  I wonder what 9's ratings were during this same week.

Just cancelled the sports component of my Foxtel. The receiver of my call also tried to change my mind. When I said that the Aleague football was all the sport that I watched on that part of my package, she also mentioned that many others had done the same recently.

Happily this change is also cash positive for me - lovely!

Just checked, Bachelor got 412k last night.  If an A-League game could manage half that rating, we'd all be thrilled.
The thing I noticed about TEN is that their news is well behind Seven, Nine AND ABC news.
Like many on here, I don't actually watch the news, but traditionally, evening news has been the big rating winner for the commercial FTAs, and that often drives the rest of the evening's viewing.
Even with FTA viewing dropping off big time, Seven news (two editions) are still getting 1.1 million in ratings on a Thurs. night (top two spots).
The evening before they got the top two spots with their news with 1.2 million each in ratings.
Maybe it's the left over halo effect of the Olympics?
Why else would Seven be consistently smashing it in the news while TEN languishes well, well below even the ABC?

Actually no. You need to put it in perspective. Just look at the sheer volume of marketing and advertising saturation that was done for the Bachelor. That weird lookin dude was everywhere months before the program even aired. Any content with that level of market saturation should be achieving 600k at an absolute minimum. If the A-League had that level of advertising saturation and got those numbers, I wouldn't be thrilled, I'd be concerned.

He is weird looking.

Interesting point, but that is 10s lowest rating since 2001 and I am pretty sure there have been a few other olympics and other major events during that 20 year period as well

The difference this time is that half the population of Australia was locked up at home which is said to be the reason for 7's series of record ratings.  If 9's share was similarly down then I wouldn't think that the 10 share that week is much to worry about. 

Viacom has a 35 billion turnover. They will be ok. 

Just because ratings are down on one week i dont think its anything to be alarmed about yet. Its all about content, people will watch what they like. So if 10s content improves so will viewer numbers. People have not suddenly forgotten 10 exists based on one week of low ratings. Especially with someone like CBS behind them, i think you will find a lot of US hit shows will start being aired on 10.

All that article is is a really bad right wing tabloid trying to have pot shots at waheed aly 

That article reads pretty neutral so don’t know where you get that right wing bit. The truth is the lefties biggest enemy

It doesn't suit your narrative, I take it. Also, if I can add, Paramount is only HD. I wonder, when it goes to 4k, like all the others, how many dollars will they bump up the subscription by?

So, will Paramount plus and/or Ch10 be showing Socceroos vs Vietnam on 7 September then?

🤣🤣I find it quiet ironic the right wing trolls come out at exactly the same time

Dear  XXXXXXXXX,

Thank you for contacting Paramount+. All the W-League, A- League, Matildas, Socceroos and FFA Cup matches will be available live on Paramount+ in Australia when the season starts in October and you will be able to stream it through the Paramount+ app live or the website without paying anything extra as long as you have Paramount+ subscription.

If you still have questions, please reply to this email. We'll gladly assist you.

Regards,
Paramount+ Customer Service