It’s the cherry-picked favourites from across the Foxtel networks, but no news or sport. There are behind-the-scenes documentaries and mini-series from some of the hit shows. With Binge, it’s mostly scripted television. Will the power of Game of Thrones be enough to keep Binge viewers engaged? Photo: HBO You subscribe for a basic $25 pack, then you can add on speciality channels depending on what tickles your fancy. They’re similar until they’re not: Both offer the option to stream content on demand.īut Foxtel Now has a broader base of content – children’s shows, lifestyle and reality programs, music, the traditional programming you associate with original Foxtel, but more stripped down. If you’re a little confused about the differences between Foxtel Now and Binge, that’s fair. Will they just say, ‘These are the classics, come and watch them on our service’?” All foxed out “It’s a case of how will they position themselves in the market. “(Binge) is going to have to keep changing the library or updating it in some way,” he said. Or even beyond the free two-week trial period being offered. (The timing does seem a little unfortunate now that restrictions are easing and we’re peeling ourselves off the couch.)Īll the big hitters for Foxtel are there: Game of Thrones, Chernobyl, Big Little Lies – whether or not these will be enough to keep subscribers on board once they’ve watched all their favourites is another question, Dr C-Scott said. What Binge’s entry does tell us is that it’s an almost certainty that we won’t be getting HBO Max any time soon – the elusive but highly prized HBO content forms the backbone of Foxtel’s baby.īinge offers some 10,000-plus hours of seasons to zonk out to, plus more than 800 movies. “A cheap service is an easy way to do that,” Dr C-Scott said. It’s also a sign of Foxtel’s continuing desperation to keep a hand in the game – whereas it used to focus on premium product subscription numbers, it’s now focused on any subscriber numbers whatsoever.

“I’ve been saying this for a long time now, but there’s going to have to be casualties with the streaming service players within 12 months,” Dr C-Scott told The New Daily, adding that US player Hulu is preparing to pounce into Australia in the coming months. It squeezes into a crowded market with a $10 monthly base rate (far cheaper than the $25 Foxtel Now) and a back catalogue of classic TV content ready for streaming.Īnd it just brings the Australian streaming industry even closing to an inevitable breaking point, Victoria University screen media lecturer Marc C-Scott said.

Cherry player keep changing channels