Foxtel has signed a new multi-year content and platform agreement with Warner Bros Discovery.
The exclusive deal secures continuing access to HBO, Max Originals, Warner Bros. and Discovery programming in Australia for Foxtel and streaming platform BINGE.
The agreement also covers Foxtel's streaming aggregation strategy and an associated new product later this year.
Commercial details of the deal haven't been released.
The Warner content works well for Foxtel. The Last of Us, a dystopian series, is pulling in an audience of 1.1 million.
The latest numbers, via News Corp, show Foxtel closed 2022 with paid subscribers at more than 4.3 million, up 10% on the December quarter the year before.
The growth is in streaming with BINGE last reported to have more than 1.4 million subscribers. Overall streaming subscription revenue represented at the end of December about 26% of total circulation and subscription revenue compared to 19% last year.
CEO, Patrick Delany: “This landmark partnership cements our position as the partner of choice to the world’s largest entertainment studios. We are delighted Warner Bros Discovery chose us as we continue our long-standing partnership together with optionality at its core.
"A unique business model like ours that covers multiple platforms and brands means we can partner for the long term and together we will continue to entertain millions of Australians every day for years to come.”
Warner Bros Discovery president, Western Pacific, James Gibbons: “Foxtel Group are a long-term, historic partner for Warner Bros. Discovery in Australia, and we are thrilled to deepen this strong collaboration with a renewed agreement that reflects the scale and opportunity of Foxtel Group’s growing suite of products and customer base.
“As we look to drive strategic growth of our business across all platforms locally, this deal also provides optionality for future collaboration, including for our future streaming service, that will ultimately offer Australians greater access to the world-class storytelling and much-loved brands Warner Bros. Discovery is renowned for.”
Foxtel Group chief content and commercial officer Amanda Laing: “We have a very established history with Warner Bros. Discovery in Australia.
"The future is now even brighter for both our companies as a result of this deal as it ensures the continued evolution of both businesses in Australia, with our unique combination of assets and our strong subscriber base providing scale and reach.
“The incredible breadth of content that Warner Bros. Discovery have become famous for continues to break viewing records with our subscribers.
"We are also excited that our distribution of this much-loved content will extend to our new streaming aggregation product in the future. This innovative new deal speaks to our commitment to evolve and grow together and the trust and respect between Warner Bros. Discovery and the Foxtel Group.”
By extending its long-term partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and in turn securing thousands of hours of some of the best and most lauded series and movies from around the world, the Foxtel Group will continue to deliver an unmatched content slate to its millions of subscribers in Australia, across both Foxtel and BINGE.
The agreement includes:
- Current and future seasons of HBO’s most-watched series in the world, including House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession and The White Lotus
- Returning seasons of HBO Original series including Euphoria, True Detective: Night Country, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty and Perry Mason
- Returning seasons of Max Original series including And Just Like That…, The Sex Lives of College Girls and Peacemaker
- Premiere highly anticipated HBO Original series including The Idol, White House Plumbers, The Sympathizer with Robert Downey Jr. and The Palace with Kate Winslet
- Premiere Max Original series including Love & Death, Dune: The Sisterhood, The Batman spinoff The Penguin and Duster series by J.J. Abrams
- Warner Bros. Television series including The Flash, East New York and The Winchesters
- Movies including Dune 2, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, Barbie, and a vast film library including the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films, as well as DC Universe
- A range of channels across Foxtel Group platforms, including Discovery, Discovery Turbo, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, CNN International, Cartoon Network and Boomerang
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