SKT - Sky Network Television

[mistaTea]

Mental gymnastics? Et tu Brute.
As you concede, sport is the exclusive (for now) hook that reels in the punters. So, as long as SKY then gives those punters additional access to a wide range of content - including HBO - who really cares whether it is exclusive or not? Not me. I'm not going to dump SKY - and lose sport, news etc- and join say, Netflix or Disney. They are not interchangeable. Personally I like the aggregator model. I don't want to have to join three or four streaming companies (at the same cost of SKY) and lose access to news and sports. Which is why I still have SKY shares and why those who lost faith in that model bailed.

Yes that is fair - but remember, if you look at the breakdown of the customer base - most of their subs have some sort of entertainment package (but no sport).

So yes, for the sports subs I think you are right - may as well keep the entertainment channels they have, because canning the Entertainment package to sub to Max directly may well be more hassle than it is worth.

But for the majority of subs that just have entertainment (no sport)...I am just pointing out that it is better for sky to have some key content on an exclusive basis.

If Max were to launch in NZ, I think we would see a noticeable drop in NEON. It might even be the final blow for some STB customers (though they will be stickier than NEON for sure).

Sky have done as well as they could have I suspect, given the way things are changing. And having to settle for non-exclusive deals is something they will have to hope works out.

Sky are in no danger of going bust any time soon, and there will always be a place for a good content aggregator I think.

But we mustn't kid ourselves that it is absolutely fine when they lose exclusivity to very important content is all I am saying. Believe me - Sky would have tried everything they could to get WD to go exclusive with then again. It is their most important entertainment contract.

[Mysterion]

https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/service/services/documents/2649333CEE7C52567DDB1E94B49FC22B

Discovery NZ $35m loss, up 40% on previous year

[Mysterion]

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/warner-bros-discovery-max-options-new-zealand-1235663520/

"The deal provides optionality for the future launch of Max in New Zealand, including a provision to retail Max on Sky platforms. We have no specific details for the New Zealand launch at this stage," a WBD spokesperson told Variety.

That is an important caveat. WBD has rethought its planned international rollout of HBO Max and is still toying with its own streaming platform options. Similar forms of flexibility were built into the content and channels supply deal struck with Foxtel in Australia, earlier this year.

[Mysterion]

Sky TV asked flood victims to dig up or pay for Sky boxes

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132530126/sky-tv-asked-flood-victims-to-dig-up-or-pay-for-sky-boxes-says-consumer-nz

[Mysterion]

Imagine forking out $260 for a 15 year old Sky box

[mistaTea]

Sky TV asked flood victims to dig up or pay for Sky boxes

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132530126/sky-tv-asked-flood-victims-to-dig-up-or-pay-for-sky-boxes-says-consumer-nz

j****. These poor people actually had to dig through the rubble of their homes so that sky could get their sh1tty old (and very damaged) boxes back. Either that our pay $260!

Debt collectors were set upon those who did not comply.

I am actually shocked.

[Mysterion]

[mistaTea]

Existing shareholders will have their own investment hypothesis on when to buy, hold, sell.

But man oh man - owning a piece of a business that would have their most vulnerable customers dig through the rubble of their homes to return a damaged STB that isn't worth anything - or pay a whopping $260 penalty fee under threat of debt collectors...?

I suspect their call centre will be busy with cancellations for a wee while.

[LoungeLizard]

I agree with the above sentiments - another tone-deaf, heavy handed response from SKY. They don't seem to understand that the reputational damage hugely outweighs the cost of being generous to flood victims. Or that it is, pure and simple, the right thing to do.
Not so long ago SKY got a media backlash for telling their own staff that they had to pay for their SKY subscriptions in future. The savings were minuscule compared to the effect on staff relations. The CEO and management team don't seem to have learnt from that episode. I hope they publicly apologise for their gaffe and try to set things right with flood victims. I won't be holding my breathe though.

[mistaTea]

I agree with the above sentiments - another tone-deaf, heavy handed response from SKY. They don't seem to understand that the reputational damage hugely outweighs the cost of being generous to flood victims. Or that it is, pure and simple, the right thing to do.
Not so long ago SKY got a media backlash for telling their own staff that they had to pay for their SKY subscriptions in future. The savings were minuscule compared to the effect on staff relations. The CEO and management team don't seem to have learnt from that episode. I hope they publicly apologise for their gaffe and try to set things right with flood victims. I won't be holding my breathe though.

100%

And it may well be a case of a disconnect between NZ HQ and the new team in Manila blindly following a script.

But that is still on the exec and senior management to make sure all customer facing teams are doing the right thing.

I actually felt cold when I read that article. Just imagining these poor b@stards having debt collectors set upon them and then having to trawl the wreckage of their home to find a box that literally isn't worth anything.

Man oh man.

[LoungeLizard]

100%

And it may well be a case of a disconnect between NZ HQ and the new team in Manila blindly following a script.

But that is still on the exec and senior management to make sure all customer facing teams are doing the right thing.

I actually felt cold when I read that article. Just imagining these poor b@stards having debt collectors set upon them and then having to trawl the wreckage of their home to find a box that literally isn't worth anything.

Man oh man.

SKY does seem to have acknowledged that the initial response to some customers fell short of what was required. It may well have been a miscommunication, but I'm reluctant to give them the benefit of the doubt given previous "miscommunications" Seems to be a pattern of heavy handed behaviour from SKY. I would have liked to have seen Sophie front up on this one, rather than some spokesperson. 

[mistaTea]

SKY does seem to have acknowledged that the initial response to some customers fell short of what was required. It may well have been a miscommunication, but I'm reluctant to give them the benefit of the doubt given previous "miscommunications" Seems to be a pattern of heavy handed behaviour from SKY. I would have liked to have seen Sophie front up on this one, rather than some spokesperson. 

Yes, no matter which way you slice it - the buck stops with the exec and senior management.

Trying to imply blame on a low paid Filipino working in a sweatshop won't cut it.

[mistaTea]

https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/11-07-2023/what-does-the-new-sky-hbo-deal-mean-for-the-impending-arrival-of-max

[Teitei]

The SKY is falling!!!!!!

SELL!

SELL!

SHORT the hell out of SKY!

[mistaTea]

Stinging comments on the Facebook link to the article.

One woman said sky sent her an invoice for  $521.01 for box, remote etc after cyclone Gabrielle. Told her she can claim it through her own insurance.

That is already shocking...but, the real kicker is she coughed up $521... only to receive an invoice a month later from Sky for...1 cent.

Man, people already love to hate sky. This is going to take a lot of savvy damage control I think. It's just too bad they don't have anyone in leadership with any level of competency.