Could Foxtel get its claws into terrestrial digital?

Tim Burrowes

December 19, 2008 5:42

Foxtel could find a backdoor way to reach free-to-air homes, a media analyst has predicted. Media economist Peter Cox claims that the move by Foxtel to launch public affairs channel A-Span could lead to a direct challenge on the ABC’s own ambitions to launch a 24 hour news channel.

He suggests that despite the fact that the free-to-air digital channels are protected for the existing players, A-Span could get a slot via its ownership by PBL, which also has a major stake in the Nine Network.

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.

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1 COMMENTS

Ricky 21 Dec 08

I wonder what A-Span means for the ‘top-secret’ political TV project announced for David Penberthy following his departure from the editorship of The Daily Telegraph?
News Ltd is an owner of Foxtel too. Perhaps that’s where Penbo is headed?

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