Australian pay TV company Foxtel has announced a landmark partnership which will see ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) provide a new line-up of music channels offering a wider range of music genres for Foxtel subscribers.
From Wednesday 1st July 2020 the new look music line-up will cover every music style, rock and pop, contemporary and country, charts and dance, urban R&B, easy listening and the all-time classics.
The music channel collection will by spearheaded by MTV HITS, together with MTV Classic, Club MTV, CMT (Country Music Television) and the new Nick Music, a kid-safe and family-friendly Nickelodeon-branded music video channel for 4-15 year olds featuring chart-topping hits by the world’s most popular artists.
NickMusic originally launched in the U.S. in September 2016.
The move means Foxtel will no longer produce its own channels [V], Max and CMC (Country Music Channel). Channel [V] was one of the original subscription TV channels in Australia and was originally produced for Foxtel by XYZ Entertainment which was jointly owned by Foxtel and Austar. Some Foxtel staff will be impacted by the change with discussions underway about possible alternative employment.
The expanded portfolio will be owned and operated by VCNI with the MTV and CMT-branded channels all programmed in Australia for Australian audiences.
The new agreement with VCNI also includes renewal of the channels Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and MTV on the Foxtel platform.
The deal could clear the way for Network 10 to offer a ViacomCBS music and/or kids channel as a multichannel addition for its free-to-air audience. The VCNI-owned Australian free-to-air (FTA) channel added Nickelodeon programming to it's 10Peach and 10Play line-ups in April.
Foxtel Chief Commercial Officer (COO) Amanda Laing said: “We are delighted to forge this new partnership with ViacomCBS which reaffirms Foxtel’s commitment to music television designed for Australian audiences.
“The agreement continues the refresh of Foxtel’s channel line-up and provides our customers with an even greater choice of music genres. ViacomCBS are global leaders in music television with a long-standing commitment to Australian music and we are pleased to continue building on our relationship with them with this historic new arrangement.”
ViacomCBS Executive Vice President (EVP), Music & Talent Programming/Events, Bruce Gillmer said: “Expanding ViacomCBS Networks International’s portfolio of music channels allows us to build even deeper relationships with Australian music fans, artists and labels. These branded channels resonate with music fans all over the world and launching in Australia gives us even more opportunity to bring audiences great music across genres.
“We’ve showcased incredible Australian artists from Gang of Youths to The Veronicas internationally. Launching these new music brands on Foxtel gives more Australian artists the opportunity to connect with fans locally and, potentially, around the world.”
Foxtel Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh added: “Music remains as a strategically important part of the Foxtel content story and emphasises the depth and richness of our programming. These new channels will all be programmed by Australians, for Australians continuing our passion for local music curation.
“We are proud of the heritage of our owned and operated music channels and the success they have enjoyed entertaining Foxtel customers for the past 25 years. I want to acknowledge the management and music teams, past and present, who created Channel [V], Max and CMC.
“Creating a great entertainment experience for our subscribers means constant renewal in every aspect of our business and our partnership with Viacom provides a fresh, new direction for music on Foxtel.”
Original source: Mediaweek.
From Pedestrian:
Foxtel Is Axing Channel [V], Erasing Any Chance Of Osher Bringing Back The G
Pay TV monolith Foxtel has announced it will be formally winding up its Australian-based music stations, with stalwart channels Channel [V], MAX, and CMCset to wind up for good on June 30th, ending a 25-year run on local screens.
In their place, Foxtel announced an extended partnership with US giant ViacomCBS that will see an expanded range of MTV-based multi-channels, as well as a kid-friendly Nickelodeon music channel, take over pay TV air waves from July on.
[V] had already significantly rolled back its operations in 2016, ending its heyday period that gave Australian TV presenters such as Osher Günsberg (at the time the shaggy-haired Andrew G), James Matheson, Yumi Stynes, Danny Clayton, and Jabba.
Since 2016, the channel operated as a two-hour timeshifted music video network, initially rebadged as [V] Hits before later being known simply as [V].
Similarly, MAX – originally MusicMax – and CMC will also cease operations fully, which also means a number of locally-based jobs will be shed from the Foxtel business.
In their place, Foxtel and ViacomCBS’s new deal will see a raft of new stations hit the air, headed up by MTV Hits, MTV Classic, and Club MTV, covering a swathe of genres both new and old. The enduring CMT will also make its Australian debut to fill the country void in all your lonely hearts, and a kid-friendly NickMusic channel will also launch, in a first-of-its-kind venture.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Foxtel’s Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh stated “We are proud of the heritage of our owned and operated music channels and the success they have enjoyed entertaining Foxtel customers for the past 25 years. I want to acknowledge the management and music teams, past and present, who created Channel V, Max and CMC.”
It might not exactly be What U Want, but it’s certainly what’s happening. So it goes.
###
From The Music Network:
Foxtel axes music channels MAX, CMC, [V] and 70 more jobs
Pay-TV provider Foxtel has axed its home-grown music channels in favour of a new partnership with ViacomCBS, TMN can reveal.
Music channels MAX, CMC and [V] will power down on June 30, marking the end of a 25-year history supporting and championing Australian music.
The future of Smooth, a joint venture with NOVA Entertainment, remains unknown.
TMN understands that all music-only employees who worked on the affected channels will also leave the business, however Foxtel decline to comment on staff changes.
Following a number of job losses over the last few months and a number of stand-downs related to COVID-19, Foxtel cut a further 70 jobs last week, according to Mumbrella.
MAX, CMC and [V] announced plans on March 30 to play all-Australian music on Mondays from April 6, in support of the Australian music community doing it tough.
In a statement sent to TMN on Monday afternoon, Foxtel’s executive director of television, Brian Walsh, said music remains an important part of the business.
“We are proud of the heritage of our owned and operated music channels and the success they have enjoyed entertaining Foxtel customers for the past 25 years,” said Walsh.
“I want to acknowledge the management and music teams, past and present, who created Channel V, Max and CMC,” he said.
In replace of the axed music channels, Foxtel has revealed a new partnership with ViacomCBS.
Foxtel says the new agreement will provide subscribers with a “broader variety of music genres”, including a new kid-friendly music channel, all of which will be locally programmed.
From July 1, the new-look music line-up will cover rock and pop, contemporary and country, charts and dance, urban R&B, easy listening and the all-time classics.
The music channel collection will by spearheaded by MTV Hits, together with MTV Classic, Club MTV, CMT (Country Music Television) and the brand-new Nick Music.
The expanded portfolio will be owned and operated by ViacomCBS with the MTV and CMT-branded channels all programmed in Australia, for Australian audiences.
The new agreement also includes the renewal of channels Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and MTV.
###
From Music Feeds:
Foxtel Has Axed Channel [V], MAX And CMC
Foxtel has unfortunately pulled the plug on their three primary homegrown music-driven channels, Channel [V], MAX and CMC. They will be shut off at the end of next month.
As reported by The Music Network, the pay-TV provider axed the three channels to make way for a new partnership with ViacomCBS, the company behind brands like MTV, Nickelodeon and the CW.
According to TMN, all music-only staff for the three channel will also leave Foxtel. This news follows the revelation that the company cut 70 more jobs last week, as reported by Mumbrella.
Foxtel’s executive director of television, Brian Walsh, gave a statement to TMN earlier today, saying:
“We are proud of the heritage of our owned and operated music channels and the success they have enjoyed entertaining Foxtel customers for the past 25 years.
“I want to acknowledge the management and music teams, past and present, who created Channel V, Max and CMC.”
Ex-staff of the networks, like triple j‘s Bridget Hustwaite and ex Channel [V] VJ Billy Russell, have taken to social media to express their sorrow at the loss.
The partnership with ViacomCBS will see Foxtel subscribers provided with a “broader audience of genres” with new music channels, as well as a renewal of existing ViacomCBS-owned networks like MTV and Nickelodeon. This is set to take place on July 1.
###
From TV Blackbox:
CHANNEL V AND MAX TO CLOSE AS FOXTEL SIGNS NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR EXPANDED MTV LINE-UP
FOXTEL HAS CONFIRMED PLANS TO OUTSOURCE ALL OF ITS MUSIC PROGRAMMING UNDER A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH CBS VIACOM.
The new arrangement will see the closure of three internally produced Foxtel channels [V], Max and CMC, to be replaced by a new line-up of MTV branded content.
From July 1 the music channel collection will be spearheaded by MTV HITS, together with MTV Classic, Club MTV, CMT (Country Music Television) and the brand-new Nick Music, a kid-safe and family-friendly music video channel for 4-15 year olds featuring chart-topping hits by the world’s most popular artists.
The expanded portfolio will be owned and operated by VCNI with the MTV and CMT-branded channels all programmed in Australia for Australian audiences.
The new agreement with VCNI also includes renewal of existing popular channels Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and MTV on the Foxtel platform. At this stage, it remains unclear how many jobs will be lost at Foxtel due to the outsourcing arrangement.
The music channel [V] (originally called Red) has been part of the Australian pay-tv industry since the beginning in 1995. At its peak it was producing hundreds of hours of LIVE television per year and provided a launchpad for many of today’s popular presenters including James Mathieson, Jane Gazzo, Yumi Stynes, Jabba and Osher Gunsberg (Andrew G). Since 2016 the channel has operated without presenters.
Its also not know what the future is for Smooth branded music content on Foxtel with a spokesperson indicating an announcement will be made soon. Smooth music content on Foxtel is produced by the Nova Entertainment group.
Foxtel Chief Commercial Officer, Amanda Laing, said:
“We are delighted to forge this new partnership with ViacomCBS which reaffirms Foxtel’s commitment to music television designed for Australian audiences.
“The agreement continues the refresh of Foxtel’s channel line-up and provides our customers with an even greater choice of music genres. ViacomCBS are global leaders in music television with a long-standing commitment to Australian music and we are pleased to continue building on our relationship with them with this historic new arrangement.”
ViacomCBS Executive Vice President, Music & Talent Programming / Events, Bruce Gillmer said:
“Expanding ViacomCBS Networks International’s portfolio of music channels allows us to build even deeper relationships with Australian music fans, artists and labels. These branded channels resonate with music fans all over the world and launching in Australia gives us even more opportunity to bring audiences great music across genres.”
“We’ve showcased incredible Australian artists from Gang of Youths to The Veronicas internationally. Launching these new music brands on Foxtel gives more Australian artists the opportunity to connect with fans locally and, potentially, around the world.”
Foxtel Executive Director of Television, Brian Walsh, added:
“Music remains as a strategically important part of the Foxtel content story and emphasises the depth and richness of our programming. These new channels will all be programmed by Australians, for Australians continuing our passion for local music curation.”
“We are proud of the heritage of our owned and operated music channels and the success they have enjoyed entertaining Foxtel customers for the past 25 years. I want to acknowledge the management and music teams, past and present, who created Channel V, Max and CMC.
“Creating a great entertainment experience for our subscribers means constant renewal in every aspect of our business and our partnership with Viacom provides a fresh, new direction for music on Foxtel.”
Foxtel also provides its customers with an extensive range of commercial-free audio music channels, comprising over 20 different streams of non-stop, uninterrupted music to complement the Viacom CBS broadcast channels.
###
From AdNews:
Foxtel ends music channels [V], Max, CMC for ViacomCBS deal
Foxtel is shutting its music channels and instead entering a deal with ViacomCBS.
Foxtel’s Max and Channel [V] will be axed after 25 years, along with CMC (Country Music Channel), at the end of June. AdNews has reached out to Foxtel for comment on how staff will be impacted.
In their place, the News Corp-owned broadcaster has secured a deal with ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), giving it music channels across rock, pop, country, R&B and a new child-friendly channel.
From July, Foxtel subscribers will have access to MTV Hits, MTV Classic, Club MTV, CMT (Country Music Television) and the new Nick Music, a music video channel for 4-15 year olds.
The expanded portfolio will be owned and operated by VCNI with the MTV and CMT-branded channels all programmed in Australia for local audiences.
“We are delighted to forge this new, ground-breaking partnership with ViacomCBS which reaffirms Foxtel’s commitment to music television designed for Australian audiences,” Amanda Laing, Foxtel chief commercial officer, says.
“The agreement continues the refresh of Foxtel’s channel line-up and provides our customers with an even greater choice of music genres.”
The new agreement with VCNI also includes the renewal of Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and MTV on the Foxtel platform.
“Expanding ViacomCBS Networks International’s portfolio of music channels allows us to build even deeper relationships with Australian music fans, artists and labels,” Bruce Gillmer, ViacomCBS EVP, music and talent programming/events says.
“These branded channels resonate with music fans all over the world and launching in Australia gives us even more opportunity to bring audiences great music across genres.”
Foxtel executive director of TV Brian Walsh says music remains “strategically important” to Foxtel.
“We are proud of the heritage of our owned and operated music channels and the success they have enjoyed entertaining Foxtel customers for the past 25 years,” Walsh says.
“I want to acknowledge the management and music teams, past and present, who created Channel V, Max and CMC.
“Creating a great entertainment experience for our subscribers means constant renewal in every aspect of our business and our partnership with Viacom provides a fresh, new direction for music on Foxtel.”
Foxtel has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused it to lose its live sports content. Early last month the broadcaster cut 200 staff, with another 140 stood down to the end of June.
###
More Nick: ViacomCBS Networks Australia Launches 'Together' Campaigns
Originally published: Monday, May 04, 2020 at 21:51 BST.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Australia & New Zealand News and Highlights!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have your say by leaving a comment below! NickALive! welcomes friendly and respectful comments. Please familiarize with the blog's Comment Policy before commenting. All new comments are moderated and won't appear straight away.