Oz’s Seven Plans Original Content, Digital Expansion for 2016

SYDNEY: Australia’s Seven Network has unveiled its 2016 programming strategy, which includes new series launches, a bigger digital push and extensive coverage of the Olympic Games.

New titles due out next year are the original Australian dramas The Secret Daughter, a musical series starring singer/songwriter Jessica Mauboy in her first major TV role; the thriller Wanted, about two strangers swept up in a chase across Australia; and Molly, a two-part miniseries on the life of musician Ian “Molly” Meldrum. Reality content includes three formats: Sunday Night Takeaway, an adaptation of the British variety show Saturday Night Takeaway; the dating format Kiss Bang Love; and the social-experiment series The Day the Cash Came. The network has also greenlit new runs of returning shows My Kitchen Rules (seventh season) and 800 Words (second season), along with House Rules 2016, among others.

“We are more committed to Australian production than ever,” said Brad Lyons, Seven’s director of network production. “The number of hours we produce continues to grow and in 2016 we will be launching more new shows than ever before. We look forward to detailing further new Australian commissioned and produced projects in the coming months.”

On the digital front, Seven West Media released details of 7 Sync, a premium marketing platform set to deliver content and brands across mobile and social media in sync with Seven’s live program broadcasts. Seven and Yahoo7 will soon also commence live-streaming of three broadcast television channels—Seven, 7TWO and 7mate—across all delivery platforms, 24/7. Additionally, PLUS7 will now deliver live and catch-up, complementing the company’s expanding presence in SVOD with its Presto partnership with Foxtel.

“We know that consumers love using their mobiles whilst enjoying our shows on television,” said Clive Dickens, Seven West Media’s chief digital officer. “7 Sync ensures that the creative and the objectives of our partners and sponsors are carried across all companion devices exclusively ‘in sync’ with our broadcast.”

Furthermore, Seven is set to deliver an all-encompassing coverage strategy for the Olympic Games in Brazil, which is the first time the network will cover the international sporting tournament. Seven’s agreement with the International Olympic Committee delivers free-broadcast-TV and subscription-TV rights, and expands beyond television to Seven’s online, mobile and social platforms. Seven has also nabbed radio broadcasting rights for the games.

“Seven will create and deliver the most comprehensive, technologically advanced, multiplatform coverage of the Olympic Games to all Australians on any communications device,” said Tim Worner, Seven West Media’s CEO and managing director. “We are ready. The Olympic Games will be a remarkable platform for Seven as we continue to move forward as a media company, developing new content and building new businesses which will drive our future as Australia’s leading integrated media and communications business.”