Wtf is Freevee?
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Neighbours Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Affable
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I had to google it myself. Initially launched as (Amazon owned) IMDB freedive, then rebranded as IMDB TV but now Amazon Freevee. It’s apparently only available in US and UK and is a free ad-supported streaming service.
Freevee is one of the real reasons the show is back - it's been bought as a way of officially launching Amazon's platform overseas. Very clear way of doing it, too, as barely anyone knew of this service beforehand. The Australian counterpart is Amazon Prime.
Network 10 will air the episodes here before anywhere else in the world, because they still technically hold the broadcast rights when Fremantle's hands were tied due to Channel 5's decision. Neither party ever wanted to let the show go, so nothing will actually change there.
Presumably, UK/US will get each new episode on Freevee within 24 hours of our TV broadcast. Australia will then get it on Prime a week later. (And, in my opinion, I expect an as-yet announced step will include the episodes also going up on 10Play following each TV broadcast, as it normally would, as a bridge between the FTV and subscription service broadcasts.)
Network 10 will air the episodes here before anywhere else in the world, because they still technically hold the broadcast rights when Fremantle's hands were tied due to Channel 5's decision. Neither party ever wanted to let the show go, so nothing will actually change there.
Presumably, UK/US will get each new episode on Freevee within 24 hours of our TV broadcast. Australia will then get it on Prime a week later. (And, in my opinion, I expect an as-yet announced step will include the episodes also going up on 10Play following each TV broadcast, as it normally would, as a bridge between the FTV and subscription service broadcasts.)
It's worth noting that picking up daytime institutions isn't new to Freevee - they now make the new episodes of Judy Justice, which for legal reasons are nothing like Judge Judy at all. So BoursNeighly will be a good fit for them.
People criticise Ten for expecting a foreign broadcaster to pick up the bill but outside of soaps that is how TV is done nowadays. I've seen several interviews with producers who say unless you have 60-80% of the finance in place broadcasters aren't interested. The vast majority of BBC shows now are funded by international deals with Netflix, Amazon Prime and as we've seen with Doctor Who, Disney+.
People criticise Ten for expecting a foreign broadcaster to pick up the bill but outside of soaps that is how TV is done nowadays. I've seen several interviews with producers who say unless you have 60-80% of the finance in place broadcasters aren't interested. The vast majority of BBC shows now are funded by international deals with Netflix, Amazon Prime and as we've seen with Doctor Who, Disney+.
Admittedly, I'm more nervous about the back catalogue not being available in Australia.
In every press release I've read (and I've scoured virtually all of them), it is worded very carefully*. Every mention of the back catalogue refers directly to Freevee only, which is a platform strictly available in UK/US/DE, and it's always mentioned separately to any reference of Amazon Prime Video being the home of the new 2023 season here in Australia.
*The exception has been a handful of articles written as opinion pieces or soft news stories, where the author has clearly written it as more of an assumption rather than a direct quote from anybody credible.
So, by all accounts, whether the back catalogue is indeed arriving for us here actually seems rather ambiguous at the moment.
Freevee already has a landing page for Neighbours in the UK, whereas Prime Video (in Australia) is void of any mention of the show, bar two third-party links to our Paramount+ where the 2022 (and now outdated, unavailable 2021) season is currently available.
A few other points I've gathered... I've cross-checked other shows/movies that Amazon distributes via Freevee to see if they're also available on Prime here in Australia, to gauge whether the same content is shared across platforms, but almost nothing that's currently streaming on Freevee seems to be available in Australia at all. Australia also doesn't even have access to the Home & Away seasons that are currently available overseas.
I've tried to contact Prime AU/NZ for some clarification about this, and they seem to be ignoring all questions relating specifically to the Neighbours back catalogue. If anyone else would like to reach out to them and report back, by all means!
Of-course, I am VERY happy to be wrong! At this rate, the back catalogue is honestly much more appealing and exciting to me than any announcement of a new season is... and based on the rumours I’m hearing coming from those in the UK who’ve contacted Amazon, it does appear that they intend on releasing the 37 years in its entirety, which is huge.
But I will personally riot if we somehow miss out on the back catalogue while the rest of the world gets it, especially considering how high profile the announcement is AND the fact that it's an Australian-made show. Surely they wouldn’t..?!
All indications, at least so far, are pointing to the back catalogue being exclusive to the Freevee app only.
In every press release I've read (and I've scoured virtually all of them), it is worded very carefully*. Every mention of the back catalogue refers directly to Freevee only, which is a platform strictly available in UK/US/DE, and it's always mentioned separately to any reference of Amazon Prime Video being the home of the new 2023 season here in Australia.
*The exception has been a handful of articles written as opinion pieces or soft news stories, where the author has clearly written it as more of an assumption rather than a direct quote from anybody credible.
So, by all accounts, whether the back catalogue is indeed arriving for us here actually seems rather ambiguous at the moment.
Freevee already has a landing page for Neighbours in the UK, whereas Prime Video (in Australia) is void of any mention of the show, bar two third-party links to our Paramount+ where the 2022 (and now outdated, unavailable 2021) season is currently available.
A few other points I've gathered... I've cross-checked other shows/movies that Amazon distributes via Freevee to see if they're also available on Prime here in Australia, to gauge whether the same content is shared across platforms, but almost nothing that's currently streaming on Freevee seems to be available in Australia at all. Australia also doesn't even have access to the Home & Away seasons that are currently available overseas.
I've tried to contact Prime AU/NZ for some clarification about this, and they seem to be ignoring all questions relating specifically to the Neighbours back catalogue. If anyone else would like to reach out to them and report back, by all means!
Of-course, I am VERY happy to be wrong! At this rate, the back catalogue is honestly much more appealing and exciting to me than any announcement of a new season is... and based on the rumours I’m hearing coming from those in the UK who’ve contacted Amazon, it does appear that they intend on releasing the 37 years in its entirety, which is huge.
But I will personally riot if we somehow miss out on the back catalogue while the rest of the world gets it, especially considering how high profile the announcement is AND the fact that it's an Australian-made show. Surely they wouldn’t..?!
All indications, at least so far, are pointing to the back catalogue being exclusive to the Freevee app only.
Confirmed to be coming home to the main channel:
Either they’re reducing Ten News back to its one-hour time slot, or reverting The Project back to a half-hour show. Positive news whichever way it unfolds!
Either they’re reducing Ten News back to its one-hour time slot, or reverting The Project back to a half-hour show. Positive news whichever way it unfolds!
Although the annual TV Tonight interview about the multi-channels suggests it'll be back on 10Peach.
tvtonight.com.au
It's probably better off on Peach - it'll only end up getting axed again if it's on the main channel. Suspect though they'll just simulcast the first week, or at least the first ep, on 10.
Multichannel Survey 2022: 10 Peach, 10 BOLD, 10 Shake. | TV Tonight
This year 10's multichannels have featured a range of Aussie & US scripted content, sport and Kid's TV.
tvtonight.com.au
It's probably better off on Peach - it'll only end up getting axed again if it's on the main channel. Suspect though they'll just simulcast the first week, or at least the first ep, on 10.
Where? They’re showcasing the year that was, when Neighbours aired on 10Peach. If anything it suggests the shift for next year further.
By all accounts and purposes, Ten are banking on bringing Neighbours to the main channel from 2023, ala Home & Away. It’s no secret that, by self-admission, Ten made it well known over recent years that the biggest programming mistake they ever made was letting Neighbours go from its main channel in 2011. This has been said a number of times, and is a large reason the ratings were so varied over the last decade. They know this is their opportunity to rectify it, “reset” and distribute a well-proven, Australian-made drama amid a sea of reality TV.
I think they were given a wake-up call when Channel 5 decided to stop funding the show. Ten and Fremantle never wanted the show to end. Deals like the one with Amazon are a rare gift, one that Ten knows they can’t take for granted, so they’re evidently planning on promoting Neighbours as the crown jewel of their network during the minimum 2-year deal with Amazon. There’s no reason this can’t succeed.
The rumours about The Project getting a shake-up next year are only intensifying.
February
I think, therefore I am, I think ...
I don't know where I'm going to reslot Neighbours into my already crammed viewing schedule!
Not sure I'm glad it's back, I haven't missed it, strangely enough. I think it became a habit more than anything else. In saying that, it'll be good to see Toady again!
Not sure I'm glad it's back, I haven't missed it, strangely enough. I think it became a habit more than anything else. In saying that, it'll be good to see Toady again!
Kingston
Canadian Royalty
I’ve always found it quite weird that people didn’t follow the show over to 11/10Peach.
I don’t believe they intend to find a bigger audience in Australia. They seem to be happy with the audience how loyal and big enough the audience they did, and still do, have - which is why it’s coming back.
This is unprecedented grounds for a soap that is now going to rely on international viewing figures, given the new way in which it will be streamed to a global audience each week. So only time can tell.
This is unprecedented grounds for a soap that is now going to rely on international viewing figures, given the new way in which it will be streamed to a global audience each week. So only time can tell.
Kingston
Canadian Royalty
Although The Project is currently pulling in similar ratings in the 6:30 time slot bringing the show back to 10 has to be part of a bigger strategy.