Legends flock to launch Foxtel’s fare with appropriate fanfare

A host of sporting legends, actors, media powerbrokers and CEOs have gathered at Parliament House in Canberra for the unveiling of Foxtel’s content slate for 2024.

Catherine Cox, left, Sarah Jones, Megan Barnard, Isa Guha and Bianca Chatfield at the 2024 Foxtel launch. Picture: Foxtel

A host of sporting legends, actors, media powerbrokers and CEOs gathered at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday night for the unveiling of Foxtel’s content slate for 2024.

The annual event, attended by Anthony Albanese, took place just days before Foxtel will exclusively broadcast the NRL’s historic double-header season-opener live from Las Vegas.

“For the first time in rugby league’s 116-year history, the season will kick off on US soil,” said Patrick Delany, the Foxtel Group’s chief executive officer.

In his speech to the audience of more than 150 people, Mr Delany said the company’s entertainment streaming arm, Binge, would continue to tell “stories that reflect a changing Australia and put the very best of our creative community on the global stage”.

New Australian shows to launch on the Foxtel platform this year include High Country, The Last Anniversary, and How to Make Gravy – a drama based on the Paul Kelly song of the same name.

Mr Delany, who fronted a Senate hearing alongside other Australian media bosses last week, again reiterated his concerns about the federal government’s draft legislation on prominence and anti-siphoning, issues which he said were fundamental to the way TV consumers control what they watch.

The prominence bill, Mr Delany said, “could strip choice and user experience away from Australians”.

The bill, which was introduced to parliament in November, proposes to ensure local free-to-air services in Australia can be more easily found on connected TVs – a move that streaming companies such as Netflix and Foxtel argue is both unfair and anti-competitive.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended Foxtel's content launch for 2024 in Canberra.

“We will continue to advocate for Australians right to control their TVs – the

TVs they own,” Mr Delany said.

“Because revolutionising how Australians consume content is in our DNA.

“And that’s why we’re also fighting for changes to the anti-siphoning regime.”

The anti-siphoning scheme, which was first introduced in the 1990s, gives FTA broadcasters first dibs on the TV rights to major sporting and cultural events.

The federal government extended the existing scheme last March, for a further three years, despite fierce opposition from non-FTA broadcasters.

“The reality is the proposed changes don’t account for modern technology and viewing trends,” Mr Delany said.

“We believe in the right of Australians to watch truly iconic sporting events for free.

“However … we believe ‘free access’ should no longer be equated to a ‘free-to -air’

broadcast licence.

“Events of national importance should be made available live, free and on a

national basis, no matter the platform.”

Mr Delany also gave a live demonstration of Hubbl, the new TV technology that fuses live and paid streaming apps, channels and the internet into one single experience.

The product will be launched on to the market in coming months.

Mr Delany was joined at Monday night’s event by Foxtel Group chair Siobhan McKenna, the respective CEOs of the AFL and Cricket Australia, Andrew Dillon and Nick Hockley, a host of leading Australian actors including Brooke Satchwell and Matt Day, musician Meg Washington, AFL legends Nathan Buckley, Jonathan Brown and Eddie Betts, NRL greats Mal Meninga and Cooper Cronk, as well as AFLW star Chloe Molloy and netball veteran-turned-commentator Cath Cox.

Interim CEO of Netball Australia, Stacey West, Warner Bros boss Michael Brooks, and head of NBCUniversal, Chris Taylor also attended, as did federal Sports Minister Anika Wells, Arts Minister Tony Burke and opposition Communications spokesman David Coleman.

Foxtel is 65 per cent owned by News Corp, publisher of The Australian.