Throng

It’s got to be some kind of record - 30 new channels in one day on Foxtel (and similar on Austar). This morning, Foxtel subscribers will wake to see their equipment upgraded with a swag of new channels. In the case of Foxtel, all the channels no matter what package you are on - will be available to view for free for two weeks. That will give you the chance to see what channels you like and then to be able to chose your package thereafter. I imagine this time would also ease the congestion at Foxtel call centres with people wanting to change packages in the first days to get new channels.

There are 12 new channel brands including: Lifestyle You, 13th Street, The style network, Eurosport, KidsCo, FMC, Starpics, Showtime Action, Showtime Comedy, Showtime Drama, Discovery Turbo Max and Nat Geo Wild.

There are 10 new HD channels which are: Foxsports 1, 2 and 3HD, Fox8 HD, W HD, Movie One HD, Showcase HD, Showcase Action HD, Showtime Premiere HD, Starpics 1 and 2 HD and UKTV HD.

And there are 8 new time shift channels - which are: 111 Hits +2, Discovery Channel +2, Discovery Turbo Max +2, Lifestyle Food +2, Lifestyle YOU +2, Sci Fi +2, Showcase 2 and Starpics + 2.

In addition, there are many other changes including Sky News local, some channel number changes, iSuggest and other new features that improve user friendliness and functionality for both the IQ and IQ2.

For more information about the Foxtel channels, go to www foxtel.com/next generation

In free to air, by the time ABC3 launches in December, there will have been five new channels added to the Freeview portfolio. Only one of them is a dedicated HD service. With both 7HD and 9HD only being main channel simulcasts, and a lot of content not actually being in HD in any case, it would seem that free to air generally places little importance in HD content. Although the networks are supposed to show something like 20 hours a week of HD content which does not have to be unique. Foxtel will now offer more channels in HD than the total number (11) of unique FreeView channels.

Still, the fact remains that in both subscription and free to air TV, 2009 has been the biggest ever for new channels and therefore more viewer choice. Including the free to air channels, that is at least 35 channels now on the ait that were not this time last year.