Question on the Optus Internet Decision

[Spirit of 66]

If I have read this correctly - and maybe I haven't - this decision suggests that Optus can re-broadcast Foxtel or free to air broadcasts provided they (a) delay the feed for a couple of minutes and (b) don't commercially profit from this.

Does this also mean that all those other internet sites that broadcast games during the season are now legal too, provided they delay the signal for 2 minutes?

[Guest]

Short answer is no.

Long answer is if they are a subsidiary or can become a subsidiary of Optus then they are legally allowed to follow the same broadcast conditions that their parent company Optus has.

[Guest]

Is this the massive threat to sports stars wages that Demetriou has suggested?

[Guest]

Is this the massive threat to sports stars wages that Demetriou has suggested?

Short answer - No.

Long answer - It's a massive threat to their money pile and the slipshod, half-arsed, piss poor way they present their product.

[novice chook]

From what I've read the Optus decision was confined to the streaming of free to air games only, not Pay TV (eg Foxtel). Perhaps I have read the wrong reports.

There will be a long way to go before this is sorted out. Whether it be appeal of the decision or attempt at change of law by the government after pressure by all sporting codes and Telstra.

NC

[Danish]

This does not have any effect on foxtel games at all.

Essentially what Optus have done is set up a data server with huge amounts of storage space and connection to all FTA channels. Optus customers who subscribe to their "TV Now" service are assigned a portion of this storage space to use as their own remote PVR which they control via their phone and have content streamed to them via the Optus network.

This will have little to no effect on the NRL or AFL TV rights IMO given pay TV games will still be have to be viewed via Foxtel, and FTA TV ratings will hardly be effected as the only people who will utilize this service will be those who weren't going to be home anyway so its not like they'll be losing a tonne of viewers.

Hell if the FTA networks are smart about this they'll work with Optus to make sure OzTam hook up the TV Now centre with ratings recorders so that they can include the additional viewers that are essentially still watching their broadcast, just on delay.

As for the illegal streams that people watch, these are not in any way similar and don't gain anything from this decision.

[Pass the Ball]

Thanks for the summary, will Optus sell advertising to fill in the gaps or do they have to go with the FTA sponsors?

[Danish]

I can't confirm, but reading through the judge's ruling I would think that the only way to keep it legal is to not modify the original broadcast at all. So they would need to keep the ads in as they were shown on TV.

The judge ruled this to essentially fall under the umbrella of taping a game yourself at home to watch later. If Optus try to profit from it by selling ads on it I'd think that would void the decision.

Personally I can't see how this is going to be that financially viable for Optus to keep up and running for too long as the costs of running a cloud based streaming service like this would surely outweigh the pittance monthly access fee they are requesting of their users.

Where this could really benefit the NRL IMO is for Telstra to get into bed with Foxtel (easy since they already part-own them) and begin streaming LIVE NRL games to their customers via a paid subscription service. Given they are the legal rights holder they'd be allowed to create their own advertising for it, offer the games on demand and even stream things like NRL on Fox and other such things to mobiles.

Would be a great service for NRL customers, and to keep foxtel happy perhaps it could only be offered to people who are also a subscriber to fox.

[The Brain]

If I have read this correctly - and maybe I haven't - this decision suggests that Optus can re-broadcast Foxtel or free to air broadcasts provided they (a) delay the feed for a couple of minutes and (b) don't commercially profit from this.

Does this also mean that all those other internet sites that broadcast games during the season are now legal too, provided they delay the signal for 2 minutes?

lol so when does your illegal streaming website start ?

[novice chook]

Thanks for your input Danish, you've made it a lot clearer for me to understand.

I agree that Telstra and Fox could do a hell of a lot together to counteract Optus re streaming of both AFL and NRL games. They are 'related entities' after all.


NC

[Spirit of 66]

lol so when does your illegal streaming website start ?

SpiriTV? Let me get back to you on that one... special subscription deal for Chookpen members...

[ism22]

The NRL has just NEVER had a streaming deal. It's been FOX FOX FOX TELSTRA TELSTRA TELSTRA!!!

Now Optus has stepped it up Gallop's whinging. My only question is when's he getting punted? He's a bloody broken record who IMO has spoken out of line sooo many times!!!

When's the new commission coming in? We voted and Dave Muggallop is staying around because God told him he was chosen or something like that.