Channel Nine Go Hulu As TV Play Catch Up

Its sounds like a tropical destination in Hawaii – although some customers will be in paradise with the catch up TV service.

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And Channel Nine has veered ahead of other networks in the race to adopt catch up TV services, which Freeview, the body which represents all of the free-to-air channels combined, has so far failed to deliver.

This they blame on lack of agreement among the networks which they say is commonplace. 

 “We are still talking about it but we haven’t agreed exactly what it will be,’ admits Robin Parkes, Freeview CEO. 

“Networks will always do their own thing,” she said.

US operated Hulu allows viewers, which currently only lets Australian viewers enter its portal doors through false pretences to watch the latest episodes of favourites like Grey’s Anatomy, The Simpsons and Glee on demand.

It also has a massive library of all available episodes ever made and gives viewers access to the biggest DVD collection they can imagine, without having to make the trip to Blockbuster and is a joint venture between NBC Universal, Fox Entertainment Group and ABC.  

Foxtel, has an enviable Catch Up TV system across all its cable channels giving it the veritable edge over free-to air at the moment and even has a Smartphone app which allows viewers command recording of programmes on their box from remote locations.

Nine, who already has its Fixplay option, new signing will give it the lead over SevenPlus7 and ABC’s iView catch up alternatives.       

Networks have been in no rush to play the catch up service so far says Freeview, which they say  is still very much a niche market among Australian audiences.  

Despite Freeview dragging its heels, it has just confirmed TV maker Samsung will install electronic programme guides, known as EPG, which the maker demoed to audiences last year.              

Although sales for Freeview branded set top boxes lie in the region of “about one to two percent (of all sales),” according to Parkes, “that will change when you get some one like Samsung putting it across its range, which it intends to do.”