Yahoo, Seven Network in joint venture

By Renai LeMay, ZDNet Australia

09 December 2005 02:03 PM

Tags: semel, web portal, ninemsn, seven, yahoo!, australia, company, new

update Broadcaster the Seven Network and Yahoo will combine their online, mobile and Internet protocol TV businesses in a new joint venture spanning Australia and New Zealand.

"Seven and Yahoo will form a new 50-50 holding company that will own Yahoo Australia and New Zealand," according to a joint statement this afternoon. Both companies will combine their online teams to form a 150-strong company which will launch with a new name and Web site on January 30.

The agreement mirrors one between Nine Network owner Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd and Microsoft, which in 1997 formed a similar alliance to create Australia's most popular Web site, ninemsn.

"The vision for the combined teams is to create the best entertainment, information and communications experience for Australian Internet and mobile users."

"Seven will also contribute AU$10 million to match the existing development capital in the business, offline promotion throught the Seven network and Pacific Magazines, as well as Seven's 33 percent stake in mobile solutions provider m.Net," the companies said.

"Yahoo and Seven have very complementary businesses and brands, and we see this as a tremendous opportunity to build a leadership position in Australia," said Yahoo chief executive Terry Semel in the statement.

"This is the best combination to benefit from increased broadband penetration, rich media consumption, and the growing cross-media advertising spend," he added.

Yahoo said it was committed to keeping all local services intact, but will also use content from Seven.

"New consumer offerings will ultimately be available across online, mobile and IPTV in areas such as news, sports, entertainment, TV, games, music and travel," the companies said.

The online properties of both organisations will largely stay the same, the companies said in a conference call this afternoon, although the broadcaster plans to use Yahoo's registration functionality for its Web site.

Talkback (27)
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Talkback 27 comments

Add your opinion

Ch. 10... Where are you??? Lee McGinley -- 10/12/05 (in reply to #120124823)

Australia is home to three free to air commercial TV stations with ninemsn's offering currently the portal of choice amongst them. Seven Network privously tried snuggling up to AOL, pppfffffttttt ROFL! Now they've hooked up with Yahoo! and things are looking up. That's two down and one to go.

Channel 10, to pinch their own ad-line, SERIOUSLY need an online partner. Their current online presence is laughable to say the least. Google anyone?

austext jstorm -- 20/12/05

Why have Seven had their austext off the air for sooooo long?????

austext Anonymous -- 20/02/06 (in reply to #120125623)

what`s happened to 7`s teletext financial pages & when will it be returning for viewing

austext Anonymous -- 26/02/06 (in reply to #120125623)

There are 5 of my friends annoyed because the finance of austext is off the air how long will it be off for please some info would help

austext Margaret Olivert -- 26/07/08 (in reply to #120125623)

I would like to know why the news on austext has not been changed for a week and horoscopes are dated 16th july please help

seven austext Anonymous -- 04/01/06

How does one get an answer from Channel 7 to find out when austext is coming back on the tele??? It has been off for months.

Austext off-air Anonymous -- 06/01/06 (in reply to #120126464)

I have contacted Austext.. had no reply..we depend on this service for stock price updates throughout the day.When is it coming back ???? How long does it take to upgrade the site ???

austext cheryl constable -- 07/01/06 (in reply to #120126464)

I agree, but now it`s back and then it`s not. What is going on??? I can`t get lightning strike page 179, storm warning pages, lotto results. As these are the main ones I look at, maybe there is even more that are`nt coming up. I did send an email but as yet haven`t received a reply. (NOT HAPPY JAN)

Seven is crazy killing off Austext - never gave it a chance Anonymous -- 19/01/06 (in reply to #120126464)

I cant understand why Seven seems to be killing off Austext when, near 30 years of broadcasting teletext (previously Seventel), it is become more accessible through digital set top boxes and the need for info has never been greater. It was a more than reasonable service which now frankly is embarrassing for this network - treating viewers with contempt.

austext john anton -- 21/02/06 (in reply to #120126464)

you cannot get an answer by emailing channel seven austext...we tried on numerous occasions and had no answer... zilch...thinking of reporting it to some current affair show with evidence of countless emails sent...seem to be extremely incompetent and absurb when yu consider they ask for advertisments revenue...not recommended at all

austext pam **** -- 08/06/06 (in reply to #120126464)

THEY NEVER REPLY...I HAVE SENT TWO EMAILS...JUST SENT THE THIRD...PROB SAME RESULT AGAIN.

WHAT A DISASTER AUSTEXT HAS NOW TURNED INTO.

rotten channel 7 Judith Storm -- 07/01/06

I am so sick and tired of that message they put on their austext site. It's been there for months. DO SOMETHING NOW. You may notice I started this beef, so everyone should write in and keep on writing in. I especially bought my tete, for the austext.

Yahoo! Seven and Virgin scoop Greg Tingle -- 20/01/06

I know a few very interesting things about the court case that went down between The Virgin Group of Companies and "that ISP - Web developer" that has a similar same. I can't "tell all" yet but in time I can. My involvement in the media campaign for the company with a similar name to Virgin got me a stalker, and no, I'm not kidding. B&T recently published 'Publicist attacked by poison pen'. I met up a few weeks ago with Yahoo! Australia and New Zealand, and Karen told me something big was going down. She wasn't kidding.

rotten channel 7 Judith storm -- 28/01/06 (in reply to #120127583)

what is Greg Tingle talking about??
Please explain.
Channel 7 has not answered my 3 e-mails, so that shows what they think of us. Can we go to accc or somebody like that. I bought my tele because it had austext on it to follow my shares, now I have to wait till the next day to see how they are going. One day means a lot in dealing with shares. So I have been dudded out of what I bought, as it is not the same thing.

austext finance bernie bodell -- 03/02/06 (in reply to #120128123)

channel seven you are not fullfilling your obligations .I bought my particular tele to view share activities.You are costing me money with missed oportunities.By the time i find movements its too late.Please fix your transmission how hard can it be.

austext j storm -- 05/02/06

I have e-mailed Kochie on his show, but no answer there either. Today tonight also didn't answer. They are all unprintable things. I too have missed out on the opportunity to move shares It stinks

austext Jack Fitzgerald -- 17/02/06

I have now lost $1,250 because I could not look how my shares were going. I used to leave austext on all day when there was a big movement on, but now I only get them a day later from the newspaper, which is too late. The trend is a day later.

austext john anton -- 21/02/06

we too would like some info regarding the finance section of austext.5 emails later to various areas all inclusive has not bought about any result .seem no answer is the going rate ...this sucks

people luke john durham -- 07/03/06

i am looking for work any in vic

AUSTEXT Anonymous -- 13/03/06

My parents, both in their 80s, rely on AUSTEXT service to follow their shares and pick to right time to sell some when they need some extra cash, now they have to walk 1km to catch a bus to go to the shops to buy the paper just to get day old info. It was a daily ritual for them to see how their share portfolio was going twice daily, a small connection for them to the outside world and now its gone. Not good - they have purchased all of their TV's and paid extra for a service that is no longer being provided and no one at Channel 7 will even have the thoughtfulness to reply to to their numerous phone calls.

SHAME ON YOU CHANNEL SEVEN.
SHAME SHAME SHAME

AUSTEXT Anonymous -- 13/03/06

austext Judith Storm -- 17/03/06

How can a t.v channel disregard all the problems they have created by not putting the finance section back on the tv???? I know so many that wont tune in to channel 7 now because of this. I am one.I have posted 6 e-mails to them...even explained how to reply to an e-mail, still no answer.I think they must be just plain stupid.

finance larry osmond -- 30/03/06 (in reply to #120131145)

Could someone please tell me when the finance section is comiong back to austext.I now look up prices on the net and very rarely watch channel 7 anymore instead watch mainly channel 10 or 9

AUSTEXT AMIN ALRAHIM -- 14/04/06

Shame, on you chanel 7 for ruining teletex, and not improving it.From when you went digital,you removed the most important stuff, like tidal times, finance pages.Even your clock and day are incorrect, I rely on that to get to work on time. I arrived early one day, just had to wait outside. I could go on, but it cant get much worse than that.So disapointed in the service.

Share Market Prices Blanche Sullivan -- 26/04/06

I'm tired of waiting. How long does it take to update the system displaying Share Market Prices? Couldn't the old system have been retained until the new one was ready to go?