John Drinnan: MySky expansion on the way

MySky recorders will continue to show traditional content, but the internet connection will also provide archived back issues of shows. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Sky Television is about to expand MySky, boosting its premium-priced networks against cheaper online TV competitors such as Lightbox and Netflix.

A launch date for the Sky On-Demand service is expected to be revealed at Sky's annual meeting next week.

Chief executive John Fellet said early trials for the new internet-capable MySky had been strong and about 25 per cent of users opted for the new service after trying it for one week.

MySky recorders will continue to show traditional content, but the internet connection will also provide archived back issues of shows.

The upgrade will be made by downloading apps, or using new set-top boxes where necessary.

The marrying of traditional broadcasting with internet TV is a major theme for traditional pay TV companies offering linear content. And Fellet can see Sky moving to more distribution via the net.

He tips that to include linear content, as well as individual programmes.

Spoilt for choice

In the past, Sky has lost sports package customers after Rugby World Cup tournaments end, and the MySky expansion will give options for sports subscribers beyond the single-competition Fan Pass or Spark's Coliseum. It will also provide extra value for movie and entertainment fans, who can now get much cheaper options through Netflix and Lightbox.

I have three subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services and Freeview Plus, which is a gateway to on-demand services for free-to-air channels. The SVOD services need good broadband connections. Others may not share my experiences, but I find Lightbox unstable, with pictures freezing and buffering, and I will drop out when the free subscription offer for Xtra broadband customers runs out. Lightbox chief executive Kym Niblock said, "There is no current evidence to suggest that any global issue exists and the majority of our users are happily enjoying the service."

I recently received a free trial offer for Sky's Neon service, which has some quality archive content from Soho and Rialto. But even though I have a new smart TV, accessing Neon would involve another technical investment, whereas Netflix does not. After initial reservations, I've become a fan of Netflix, which offers a good choice of content. But the happiest surprise for me has been Freeview Plus, which gives access to archives of on-demand content and makes my digital video recorder virtually obsolete. Freeview Plus has brought me back to free-to-air TV.

Great Scott

Ad agency Whybin TBWA will be hoping new Auckland chief executive Andrew Scott and creative director Christy Peacock bring back the glory days of last decade, when the firm was headed by the late David Walden.

Scott has won acclaim for his role in turning around Whybin TBWA Melbourne over 10 years. Peacock is also a shining star, so Whybin Australia is taking the future of its shaky isles offshoot seriously. Walden stepped down two and a half years ago, after a restructuring driven from Australia. Whybin hired Todd McLeay as CEO and star creative director Toby Talbot, though he departed for DDB Australia after only six months.

Previously marketing boss for the Lotteries Commission and a senior executive at APN New Zealand, McLeay was new to agency land. The good news for Scott and the team are the agency's international alignments, not least the ANZ account picked up in 2011. While a significant amount of the work is handled from Australia, ANZ is a big advertiser and is said to spend more on marketing than the other big banks combined.

Another big plus for Whybin TBWA is its digital arts network division, run by Che Tamahori.

It is among the top digital shops in the country and has won awards for its work for Tourism New Zealand.