Seven and Ten annouce multi-channels, while Nine sleeps

It has been announced that Seven and Ten will be finally using the multi-channel capabilities of digital TV broadcast.
“Ten yesterday said its new channel would provide 50 hours per week of programming that viewers would not see on its main channel. It would also offer 11 hours of time-shifted programming each week.”
They have also stated they will be broadcasting in the 1080i digital format, with Seven yet to announce it’s broadcasting format.

“The move is the first major push by the commercial TV networks to promote free-to-air digital TV: only about 30 per cent of Australian homes now access the technology.”
This is a move that the ABC made some time ago with the launch of their ABC 2 channel.

So how will this multi-channeling affect the ever-growing Pay TV in Australia?

The changes continue with “Ten recently moved into the pay-TV digital world through a retransmission deal with pay-TV group Foxtel after years of debate.” This change allowing Foxtel subscribers to record channel Ten’s broadcast through Foxtel IQ.

Channel Seven is the only Free-to-Air channel not to be broadcast through Foxtel. Could this be due to their recent statement that they will be bringing TiVo to Australia in 2008?

Related Articles:
Seven, Ten to offer HD-TV
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Ten deal on Foxtel
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story
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