Telecommunications

Survey: more time spent online than watching TV

A new consumer trends survey has found that people that have broadband connections spend more time online than watching television.
The survey took in the patterns of 864 Australian broadband customers and compared it with those of more than 3,600 users worldwide. It found that 22 hours per week were spent online, compared with 14 hours […]

Media industry predicts big year

The Australian’s forecast of the local media industry predicts digital media growing rapidly, the writers strike encouraging a shift in local talent, and an Olympic year encapsulating cross-media.

Media industry goes into 2008 with the jitters

The Australian media industry is going into 2008 with unease, watching the performance of the sharemarket to see if the good run in regards to advertising avenue will end.
In today’s Media section of The Australian, the newspaper spoke to the big hitters of the local industry, who said that the recent run of bad results […]

Foxtel still in the hunt for Austar

Despite a failed tilt more than six months ago, Foxtel remains in the hunt for regional pay TV provider Austar. Investors seem to be biding their time waiting for Foxtel to again show interest in buying the regional pay TV broadcaster Austar. Talks between Austar and Foxtel - in which Telstra has a 50 per […]

Seven settles with Optus over C7 case

The Seven Network has reached an out-of-court settlement with Optus over costs in the $200 million C7 case, leaving Telstra as the only party holding out for its costs to be awarded by Justice Ronald Sackville.
Seven has agreed to pay a confidential sum to Optus, which spent $9.2 million successfully defending the case in the […]

Optus D2 to launch on October 2

Optus’ next D-series satellite, Optus D2, will be launched from French Guiana on October 2nd. Intelsat 11, destined for Latin America will also be launched.
Optus D2 will replace the aging Optus B3 satellite at 152 deg. East.
Originally intended to co-locate with Optus C1 (providing Foxtel & Optus Aurora), the location was changed […]

Telstra makes big splash about Bigpond TV

Telstra has made a big noise about its launch of Bigpond TV - providing television programs to users of its mobile telephone network.
Actor Eric Bana was the main celebrity attraction at Telstra’s launch of the mobile television venture which was hosted by Today presenter Richard Wilkins and streamed over the Bigpond website and available via Telstra’s […]

Former pay-TV chief steps down from Unwired

Steve Cosser, one of the pioneers of the pay-TV industry in Australia, has stepped down from his position as chairman of wireless broadband provider Unwired.
The former TV journalist, who later became the owner of one of his former employers, the financially challenged Ten Network in the late ’80s, was one of the founders of the Unwired […]

C7 decision imminent

A judgement is imminent in one of Australia’s most expensive legal cases, the C7 case, with parties to the $200 million court battle - including some of the country’s largest media companies - told to expect a final ruling by the end of the month.
The Weekend Australian understands Federal Court judge Ronald Sackville has circulated a […]

Backhoe bumps Prime off the air

Prime Television in northern New South Wales was off the air between 10.22pm and 12.21am on Monday night due to an accident which cut access to the Seven Network feed in the northern half of the state.
A statement released by the station says a backhoe conducting roadworks in Sydney had accidentally knocked out a fibre […]