Covid 19 and footy - season (suspended) now resumed

[barry]

Hi MCS. Listen, I don't like this "go to view" rubbish. 6 months ago I had never heard of V'landys. But you've got to admire what he has done to get NRL back. If he implodes from here on, he's still done an amazing job. And it's has killed any AFL discussion in the Sydney media. As you know, my 'go to view' is I care for NSW, and the game in NSW, and right now he is a massive threat to that.
Victoria can afford to be dismissive.

[snajik]

Folks, so I have a question. I am thinking of ditching Foxtel after having it since when it started. The thought of continuing to hand over
money to the Murdochs has become too much for me. Can someone tell me besides free to air TV and the pub is there somewhere else that
screens the games. Happy to pay, just not to that evil empire.

+1. For the same reasons. It's something that I've struggled with for years. Then again advertisements after every goal is pretty ugly too. Looking for a 3rd option. All I'm seeing is kayo which is Murdoch owned also.

[KTigers]

+1. For the same reasons. It's something that I've struggled with for years. Then again advertisements after every goal is pretty ugly too. Looking for a 3rd option. All I'm seeing is kayo which is Murdoch owned also.

Yes, the straw that broke the camels back was when I accidently switched from CNN to Fox News the other day when following the situation in
the US. Those people are evil or nuts or both. That channel should have some sort of warning label on it. Barry said FTA has both the Swans
& GWS games on it, so that'll have to do me I think. If I miss Freo v Port or whoever I'm sure I'll pull through.

[liz]

Yes, the straw that broke the camels back was when I accidently switched from CNN to Fox News the other day when following the situation in
the US. Those people are evil or nuts or both. That channel should have some sort of warning label on it. Barry said FTA has both the Swans
& GWS games on it, so that'll have to do me I think. If I miss Freo v Port or whoever I'm sure I'll pull through.

I subscribe to Foxtel, and have done for years, and when friends who say they'd never pay for TV ask me why, I always justify it on the basis of loving footy and wanting to watch more than just the Swans games (and to watch those advert free).

But while that's my main reason, and the vast majority of stuff I don't watch, there are other channels that I assign value to. There are some quality dramas to be found on channels like BBC First, and I also really enjoy the UK versions of MasterChef (hate the Australian version) and both the UK and Australian Great Bake Offs. Plus one of my mindless guilty pleasures is a few of the many of US cop shows - those that feature the good guys (most of the time) that shed no light onto the more pervasive US policing matters - shows like Criminal Minds and SVU.

Whenever I'm staying in a hotel room that only has the main FTA commercial channels, I'm appalled by the awful quality of pretty much every programme they show. I don't even particularly enjoy much of the stuff on the ABC.

So while footy is my main motivation - and I do typically tune into parts of five or six games most weekends - I personally find some other value in the Foxtel offering.

[snajik]

I guess I've drifted away from watching movies and drama series in recent years. The former I often find formulaic, the latter demand a commitment to see it through 'til the end. (Though I am fully engaged with Last Man On Earth atm. A comedy about the world's population being wiped out by a virus which I started watching before C-19 came along). Reality TV, apart from being a misnomer is mostly hideous. Which leaves me with documentaries which I really enjoy but its rare that you'll find anything of this nature on Foxtel. I tend to gravitate to sbs on demand, viceland and iview. Foxtel has held me hostage for years due to having the most comprehensive and ad-free coverage of footy. I could probably live without the rest of it.

KT - Foxtel does have a block option so you can set your viewing options accordingly to ensure that Fox news never crosses your screen again. Sadly, this is the primary news source for Americans (either Americans generally, or American cable subscribers - can't remember which). What hope have they got?

I've currently dumped the fox sports package during the no live sport era. I suspect I'll eventually come moseying back, tail between legs.

[KTigers]

I subscribe to Foxtel, and have done for years, and when friends who say they'd never pay for TV ask me why, I always justify it on the basis of loving footy and wanting to watch more than just the Swans games (and to watch those advert free).

But while that's my main reason, and the vast majority of stuff I don't watch, there are other channels that I assign value to. There are some quality dramas to be found on channels like BBC First, and I also really enjoy the UK versions of MasterChef (hate the Australian version) and both the UK and Australian Great Bake Offs. Plus one of my mindless guilty pleasures is a few of the many of US cop shows - those that feature the good guys (most of the time) that shed no light onto the more pervasive US policing matters - shows like Criminal Minds and SVU.

Whenever I'm staying in a hotel room that only has the main FTA commercial channels, I'm appalled by the awful quality of pretty much every programme they show. I don't even particularly enjoy much of the stuff on the ABC.

So while footy is my main motivation - and I do typically tune into parts of five or six games most weekends - I personally find some other value in the Foxtel offering.

Yes, for sure, Foxtel does have a bunch of non footy programming that is appealing. I like the HBO stuff and some of the news/
doco channels. And I probably watch way too much golf. And I do know what you mean re the TV offerings in hotels. It's terrible.
I just find the extremely conservative Murdochs a bit much to take politically. In an ideal world they'd go broke and a slightly less
"evil" media empire would buy Foxtel from the receiver, rename it something bland and I'd be able to subscribe again.
Then again, maybe I just have too much time on my hands and have been over thinking it.

[KTigers]

I guess I've drifted away from watching movies and drama series in recent years. The former I often find formulaic, the latter demand a commitment to see it through 'til the end. (Though I am fully engaged with Last Man On Earth atm. A comedy about the world's population being wiped out by a virus which I started watching before C-19 came along). Reality TV, apart from being a misnomer is mostly hideous. Which leaves me with documentaries which I really enjoy but its rare that you'll find anything of this nature on Foxtel. I tend to gravitate to sbs on demand, viceland and iview. Foxtel has held me hostage for years due to having the most comprehensive and ad-free coverage of footy. I could probably live without the rest of it.

KT - Foxtel does have a block option so you can set your viewing options accordingly to ensure that Fox news never crosses your screen again. Sadly, this is the primary news source for Americans (either Americans generally, or American cable subscribers - can't remember which). What hope have they got?

I've currently dumped the fox sports package during the no live sport era. I suspect I'll eventually come moseying back, tail between legs.

I just wish someone else owned the footy & golf cable rights that wasn't called Murdoch. We have SBS On Demand, ABC iView, Netflix and
MUBI (mostly foreign language films) so plenty to choose from in the Covid era. But now that sport is starting back up again the idea of
not being able to watch a game whenever I feel like it, or not being able to watch The Masters or British Open is going to test me.
Anyway, I'm going to have to dig deep and maintain the rage against the evil empire. Mrs Tigers actually suggested if I start donating to
an extreme left political organisation that may offset the damage caused by helping support the Murdochs. I think she was joking, but I
can't be sure.

[snajik]

I noticed a lot of Foxtel staff lost their jobs during COVID along with the dumping of regional newspapers and their staff while all the Sky News crackpots retained their positions. There was an obvious cost saving there I would have thought. Multiple mean-spirited clones all trotting out the same offensive guff. Surely they only need one.
yeah it sure irks me that I contribute in any way to the Murdoch empire. It's hard to be squeaky clean 100% of the time.

[KTigers]

I noticed a lot of Foxtel staff lost their jobs during COVID along with the dumping of regional newspapers and their staff while all the Sky News crackpots retained their positions. There was an obvious cost saving there I would have thought. Multiple mean-spirited clones all trotting out the same offensive guff. Surely they only need one.
yeah it sure irks me that I contribute in any way to the Murdoch empire. It's hard to be squeaky clean 100% of the time.

It is hard to see Foxtel lasting. They lost about $400M last year. Combine that with the Daily Telegraph & The Australian losing money hand
over fist and pretty much all the regional papers being cut, and you wonder what is going well for the evil empire here. They've missed the
boat that James Packer got on years ago by selling his media businesses to CVC (a private equity mob) for billions before old school
media went pear shaped. It's just impossible to see the ever increasing flow of broadcasting money propping up the AFL going forward.
Covid just accelerated the decline in old school media, and unless new deep pocketed broadcasters or streaming companies suddenly
get interested in footy and think they make some money from it, then revenue coming into the game will stagnate or even fall.
Down the track I see us paying for a subscription to Swans TV to watch the games and paying a lot more for our seats at the games,
which are very cheap compared to other codes overseas, and other forms of live entertainment locally.

[707]

Couldn't do without the footy live every game and no ads during the quarters. When I am out and having to watch a game on FTA the ads after goals drive me insane!

How any footy lover thinks that Fox isn't worth it is beyond my comprehension. It's way less $ than my cup of coffee at the roasters every day.

[Mel_C]

In Melbourne we don't get all swans games on Channel 7 so I need foxtel.

I think it's unfair that more games aren't on Channel 7 seeing as crowds can't attend.

[snajik]

I don't think we are questioning the merit of having fox footy or its quality, or quibbling about the cost, more about who financially benefits from our subscriptions. That's why I've kept foxtel this long, i can't tolerate the ads.
Missing out on seeing the Swans play on any and every weekend wouldn't be an option, and I understand that the FTA options differ in Sydney and Melbourne.

[MattW]

Folks, so I have a question. I am thinking of ditching Foxtel after having it since when it started. The thought of continuing to hand over
money to the Murdochs has become too much for me. Can someone tell me besides free to air TV and the pub is there somewhere else that
screens the games. Happy to pay, just not to that evil empire.

You could pay the AFL to watch the games live through their app? I have it for non-Swans games (which are FTA in Canberra).

[KTigers]

You could pay the AFL to watch the games live through their app? I have it for non-Swans games (which are FTA in Canberra).

Thanks man. I think I'll do that.

[Markwebbos]

Thanks man. I think I'll do that.

Or be a Telstra customer, then it’s free.