Movie Network

For the Canadian movie service, see The Movie Network.

Movie Network Channels
Launched	20 September 1995[1][2]
Owned by	Movie Network Channels Pty Ltd (Warner Bros., Disney-ABC, MGM & Village Roadshow)
Picture format	576i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)[3]
Audience share	4% (January 2010, [4])
Slogan	All Better Together
Country	Australia
Language	English
Formerly called	The Movie Network (1995-1997)
Sister channel(s)	Movie One FMC Family Starpics 1 Movie Extra Movie Greats
Timeshift service	Movie Two, Starpics 2
Website	movienetwork.tv
Availability
Satellite
Foxtel	Movie One HD 224 Starpics 1 HD 225 Starpics 2 HD 226 Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412 FMC Family: 413 Starpics 1: 415 Starpics 2: 416 Movie Extra: 417 Movie Greats: 419
Austar	Movie One HD 224 Starpics 1 HD 225 Starpics 2 HD 226 Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412 FMC Family: 413 Starpics 1: 415 Starpics 2: 416 Movie Extra: 417 Movie Greats: 419
Cable
Foxtel	Movie One HD 224 Starpics 1 HD 225 Starpics 2 HD 226 Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412 FMC Family: 413 Starpics 1: 415 Starpics 2: 416 Movie Extra: 417 Movie Greats: 419
Austar	Movie One HD 224 Starpics 1 HD 225 Starpics 2 HD 226 Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412 FMC Family: 413 Starpics 1: 415 Starpics 2: 416 Movie Extra: 417 Movie Greats: 419
Optus TV	Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412 FMC Family: 413 Starpics 1: 415 Starpics 2: 416 Movie Extra: 417 Movie Greats: 419
Neighbourhood Cable	Movie One: 31 Movie Extra: 32 Movie Greats: 33
TransACT	Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412 Movie Extra: 413 Movie Greats: 415
IPTV
Xbox 360	Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412
Telstra T-Box	Movie One: 411 Movie Two: 412
Internet television
Foxtel Download	Movie Action Movie Comedy Movie Drama

Movie Network Channels is an Australian premium television movie service that consists of five original channels (Movie One, Movie Extra, Movie Greats, Family Movie Channel, Starpics 1), two SD timeshifts (Movie Two, Starpics 2) and three HD simulcasts (Movie One HD, Starpics 1 HD, Starpics 2 HD). Its main competitor is Showtime. Movie Network channels were originally only available through Optus TV, who produced and part-owned the channels prior to January 1, 2000.^[1][5]

Through content sharing agreements, Movie Network Channels became available through Austar in January 1999 and Foxtel in December 2002.^[6] Movie Network is also available on Neighbourhood Cable, SelecTV and TransACT.^[7] The channels are owned, operated and programmed by Time Warner, Disney-ABC International Television, MGM and Village Roadshow. In addition to films from these studios, the network also has access to films from DreamWorks^[8] and Australian distributor Hopscotch Films.

On November 15, 2009, the network expanded with three additional (including 1 timeshift) channels and 3 HD simulcasts (including 1 timeshift).^[9] In addition, a new website was launched and a unified slogan for the overall network - "All Together Better!".

From 2009, Movie Extra will be the naming rights sponsor for the Tropfest short film festival.^[10]

Channels

Movies are typically shown for a year, and may appear on any of the network's channels during its run.

Movie One

Movie One is the network's premiere channel for blockbusters from studios such as Warner Bros.,Disney, ABC International Television, MGM, Village Roadshow and Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks SKG plus an array of independent studios and launched 20 September 1995. Prior to September 7, 1997 this channel was named The Movie Network. Movie One (along with timeshift service, Movie Two) also offers a free interactive movie service called Redspace. Every month Redspace allows digital viewers to play a quiz, read facts about the movie or watch video packages such as behind-the-scenes, interviews and other features. Movies that air on this channel are released 2005-onwards. An HD simulcast launched in November 15, 2009.

Movie Two

Movie Two is the timeshift service of Movie One where it broadcasts Movie One with a two hour delay and launched 2004.

Movie Extra

Movie Extra launched on September 7, 1997.^[2] The channel shows a mix of international and Australian films along with premieres of edgier films and documentaries. More recently the channel has started screening American or British television series such as Mad Men, Five Days, Dirt & The L Word. Movies that air on this channel are mainly from the late 90s and early 2000s.

Movie Greats

Movie Greats shows films from the back catalogues of the studios. Often there are theme months, or marathons of movies. Classic movies are shown on this channel, which ranges from between the 1930s up until the mid 1990s and launched 20 September 1995. The channel adopted the slogan "Movies that move you" on from November 15, 2009.

Family Movie Channel

Family Movie Channel is dedicated to Family Movies^[9] and was launched on November 15, 2009. The channel shows movie rated G and PG, along with "light" M rated movies.^[11] Premieres will be on Saturday evenings.^[11]

STARPICS

Starpics is dedicated to double features of movies starring the same person. It has the slogan "Movies you know, actors you love",^[9] and launched on November 15, 2009. The channel has a timeshift channel, with both having HD simulcasts.

Download Channels for Foxtel subscribers

Foxtel subscribers to Movie Network channels are able to download movies to their Windows PC from 3 download channels.

The 3 channels are Movie Action, Movie Comedy, and Movie Drama. Content is often changed and is exclusive to the Foxtel download service.^{[citation needed]}

MovieBox on FetchTV

In June 2010, the Movie Network launched MovieBox, a subscription on-demand movie service for FetchTV with movies from the Movie Network's partner studios. The service offers a new movie each day, with instant access to 30 movies at any given time and the ability to pause, re-wind, fast forward and repeat view for up to 30 days.^[12]

The movies are included as part of the FetchTV basic subscription package, and show on a customer's TV via the FetchTV set top box.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} McCutcheon, Marion. Is Pay TV Meeting its Promise? (Report). Faculty of Arts, School of Media, Communication and Culture, Murdoch University. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/pubfiles/adt-MU20070514.112807/02Whole.pdf. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Weiniger, Peter (1997-08-27). "(Cable Watch)". The Age (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media): p. 14. http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?docID=news970827_0165_2935. Retrieved 2010-01-01. 
3. ^ Movie Greats channel now available in Widescreen
4. ^ Week 02 2010 (03/01/2010 - 10/01/2010) 18:00 - 23:59
5. ^ "Programmers Count The Cost Of Quotas.". Television Business International: p. 79. 1 April 1997. 
6. ^ "Austar unifies H'wood lineups". The Hollywood Reporter: 6. 4 January 1999. ISSN 0018-3660. 
7. ^ "TransACT launches new Movie Network Channels on TransTV" (Press release). TransACT. 2008-06-04. http://transact.com.au/news/Article.aspx?id=845. Retrieved 2009-09-30. 
8. ^ "DreamWorks, Optus team up Has signed a long-term exclusive output deal with DreamWorks SKG". The Hollywood Reporter: 1. 20 September 1996. ISSN 0018-3660. 
9. ^ ^{a b c} [|Movie Network]. "Meet The New Movie Network Channels". http://www.movienetwork.tv/newchannels/. Retrieved 29 September 2009. ^{[dead link]}
10. ^ Tropfest loses Sony and gains Movie Extra - B&T Today, 7 Aug 2008
11. ^ ^{a b} Knox, David (2 November 2009). "James Tobin joins StarPics". tvtonight.com.au. http://tvtonight.com.au/2009/11/james-tobin-joins-starpics.html. Retrieved 2 November 2009. 
12. ^ http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2010/05/26/movie-network-adds-on-demand-movie-box/

External links

• Official site
• MovieBox site