Nine Entertainment launches video streaming product, 9Now

Viewers will have access to all of Channel 9’s content in live and on-demand formats.

18/11/15 Alex Parsons in his office in the CBD, Sydney. Alex Parsons is Nine's chief digital & marketing officer. Adam Yip/The Australian

Nine Entertainment’s chief digital and marketing officer, Alex Parsons, is determined to build a “world-class” interface for the company’s new 9Now video streaming product, similar to Google’s search interface or eBay’s e-commerce website.

Nine will formally launch 9Now today, giving viewers ­access to all of Channel 9’s ­content in live and on-demand formats.

“When you think about video, we have this concept of wanting to develop a world-class video platform … and you know when it is world-class and when it isn’t,” Mr Parsons told The Australian.

“For me, two world class interfaces that spring to mind are Netflix and (Nine’s subscription video on demand joint venture) Stan. Those two platforms, or Stan ­domestically, are really starting to set the agenda for how audiences are consuming content.”

The logic behind the establishment of 9Now was to create a single destination for all of Channel 9’s live streaming, catch-up and on-demand content.

The network’s other linear channels, 9Gem, 9Go and 9Life, will be available to stream in the coming months.

But 9Now is facing some teething problems relating to live sports.

As with most online simulcasts, Nine is hamstrung by the digital rights deals now in place for premium sport.

Nine owns Cricket Australia’s international broadcast rights but 9Now could not stream Sunday night’s Australia versus India T20 match because Optus has signed a deal to be the sport’s streaming partner.

Mr Parsons said discussions with Optus and Cricket Australia were continuing as Nine ­attempts to secure an agreement that would allow the sport to be streamed on 9Now.

“We don’t have the rights for the current season but we’re working through what that looks like from here on in,” Mr Parsons said. “If you think about what it all looks like in five years’ time, sports generally want to get their code in front of as many people as possible and consumer habits are changing.”

Nine will have the streaming rights for the National Rugby League from 2018 when the ­recently signed $1.8 billion broadcast deal kicks in.

But parts of that deal were brought forward for the next two seasons and Nine will attempt to expedite its control of the NRL streaming rights, which are now held by Telstra.

9Now is expected to trial several different initiatives around programming in coming months.

Nine released the first episode of the latest series of The Farmer Wants a Wife on 9Now on last night, ahead of the program’s broadcast television launch ­tonight.

9Now can be accessed via the web, IOS Android and HBBTV, with other connected devices to follow, including Telstra TV, Apple TV and Google Chromecast. Users will be asked to log in the first time they use 9Now using an email address and password and Facebook login so Nine can provide targeted advertising for its clients and consumers receive ­relevant content and offerings.

“We now have a deeper understanding of customers and consumer appetite for content than ever before,” Mr Parsons said.

Nine’s buyout of digital joint venture Mi9 from former partner Microsoft in 2013 was critical to 9Now’s rollout, he said.

“Over the last 18 months, we really have gone from being a multi-divisional media company that had been quite separate into a single media company, which is really coming together and aligning in the same ultimate mission of delivering great content on all devices at all times,” Mr Parsons said.

“It was led by David (former chief executive Gyngell) for a ­period of time and (new boss) Hugh (Marks) has really taken the reins and I would say we’re ­accelerating that, if anything.”