Foxtel

Foxtel is an Australian pay television and streaming business operating under the Foxtel Group name. Its services combine subscription television, direct-broadcast satellite distribution, internet-protocol television, streaming, sports programming, movies, general entertainment, news, documentaries and specialist channels. The company serves metropolitan and regional Australia and has historically distributed programming both directly to consumers and through wholesale arrangements. The business began in 1995 as a joint venture between News Corporation and Telstra. It launched on 23 October 1995 with a package of approximately 20 channels and initially used Telstra's cable infrastructure in major metropolitan areas. The venture was created partly as a response to the competitive threat posed by Optus's combination of subscription television and telecommunications services. Foxtel later expanded its reach through satellite delivery, allowing it to serve households outside the principal cable markets. Ownership and corporate structure changed several times. Publishing & Broadcasting Limited, controlled by Kerry Packer, acquired half of News Corporation's interest in 1998. Foxtel gained a major expansion opportunity after the 1998 insolvency of Australis Media, the operator of Galaxy, and subsequently took over Galaxy subscribers. Its satellite service for new customers began in 1999. The acquisition of regional operator Austar was completed in 2012, substantially extending Foxtel's presence beyond metropolitan Australia. News Corporation's acquisition of Consolidated Media Holdings later increased its holding in Foxtel. In 2018, Foxtel was reorganized through the combination of Foxtel and Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia held 65 percent of the combined company and Telstra held 35 percent. This structure placed greater emphasis on premium live sports alongside entertainment and movie subscriptions. Foxtel also developed digital products, including Foxtel Now, an over-the-top streaming service, and Hubbl, a platform intended to aggregate streaming services and connected television experiences. The company has progressively moved away from legacy cable distribution. Following the transfer of Telstra's hybrid fibre-coaxial network to NBN Co, Foxtel announced a transition from HFC delivery to satellite and IPTV. That transition was completed in 2023. The company's product ecosystem includes satellite television, IPTV, streaming applications, iQ set-top boxes, electronic programme guides, on-demand video and premium sports services. In December 2024, DAZN announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel in a transaction valuing the business at A$3.4 billion. The acquisition was completed on 2 April 2025 after regulatory approvals. News Corp Australia and Telstra received minority interests in DAZN as part of the transaction. DAZN stated that Foxtel and its associated brands would continue to operate. The post-acquisition business remains focused on Australian subscription television, streaming and sports, while facing structural pressure from cord-cutting, free ad-supported streaming and competition from global video platforms.

Foxtel was created in 1995 as a joint venture between News Corporation and Telstra. The service launched on 23 October that year with around 20 channels, including the Fox channel and an exclusive commission from Artist Services. Its initial delivery model relied heavily on Telstra's hybrid fibre-coaxial network in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and the Gold Coast. The Australian subscription television market changed materially after Australis Media, the owner of Galaxy, became insolvent in 1998. Foxtel acquired Galaxy subscribers from the liquidator and began supplying them on an interim basis. In February 1999 it introduced its own satellite service for new customers, enabling broader national coverage. In October 1998, Publishing & Broadcasting Limited acquired half of News Corporation's Foxtel interest for A$150 million. Telstra retained a 50 percent holding, while PBL and News Corporation each held 25 percent. Foxtel and Optus Television reached a content-sharing arrangement in 2002 that was approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The arrangement reduced direct programming duplication between the two pay television businesses. During the 2000s, Foxtel expanded its channel portfolio, added free-to-air services and developed interactive and digital recording functions around the iQ set-top box. It reported its first annual profit in 2006 and achieved strong audience growth during the following years, particularly through sports rights and major events. The acquisition of Austar was a major regional expansion. Foxtel agreed to acquire Austar in 2011; the transaction received shareholder and regulatory approvals in 2012 and was completed on 24 May 2012. Austar shares were subsequently suspended and delisted. The integration made Foxtel the effective provider for former Austar customers and extended its satellite-based footprint across regional Australia. In the same period, Foxtel experimented with delivery through Xbox Live, Telstra's T-Box and mobile services. News Corporation acquired Consolidated Media Holdings in 2012, increasing its interest in Foxtel from 25 percent to 50 percent. Foxtel continued to broaden its content relationships. A partnership with the BBC announced in 2013 led to the launch of a premium BBC channel in 2014 and included carriage rights for UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies and BBC World News. In 2015, Foxtel agreed to acquire a 15 percent stake in Ten Network Holdings, although the investment did not result in a lasting combination of the two companies. In 2017, Foxtel undertook its first major brand refresh, replacing its previous uppercase logo with a lowercase identity built around the message “Foxtel is for everyone.” Foxtel Play was renamed Foxtel Now as the company emphasized internet-delivered subscriptions. In March 2018, News Corp Australia announced the combination of Fox Sports Australia with Foxtel. The resulting entity was owned 65 percent by News Corp Australia and 35 percent by Telstra, and placed live sports at the centre of the company's broader entertainment strategy. Foxtel adjusted its channel portfolio in response to changing audience behaviour and content partnerships. In 2020, its owned and operated music video networks were closed and replaced with a group of MTV, Nickelodeon and CMT-branded channels under a wider Paramount arrangement. In 2022, Foxtel suspended RT distribution in Australia and extended its WWE partnership. The company also announced that its traditional HFC delivery would be phased out in favour of satellite and IPTV, with the conversion completed in 2023. In 2024, News Corp Australia pursued a possible sale of Foxtel. Platinum Equity was reported as an early potential bidder, while DAZN later entered active negotiations. DAZN announced the proposed acquisition on 23 December 2024, valuing Foxtel at A$3.4 billion. Completion occurred on 2 April 2025 following Australian regulatory approvals. DAZN said it would maintain the Foxtel name and related brands. The post-transaction business continued to operate in a market shaped by streaming competition, declining traditional pay-TV penetration and the growth of sports-focused digital services.

1. 2025DAZN acquisition completed

   DAZN completes its acquisition of Foxtel on 2 April after Australian regulatory approvals.

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2. 2023HFC distribution ends

   Foxtel completes its transition away from HFC delivery to satellite and IPTV services.

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3. 2018Fox Sports combines with Foxtel

   Fox Sports Australia is merged with Foxtel, creating the current 65 percent News Corp Australia and 35 percent Telstra ownership structure.

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4. 2017Major brand refresh

   Foxtel introduces a lowercase identity and changes Foxtel Play to Foxtel Now.

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5. 2014BBC premium channel launches

   A premium BBC channel launches on Foxtel as part of a wider BBC carriage partnership.

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6. 2012Austar acquisition completed

   Foxtel completes its acquisition of regional pay-TV operator Austar on 24 May.

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7. 2006First annual profit

   Foxtel reports its first annual profit, more than a decade after launch.

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8. 1999Satellite service begins

   Foxtel starts its own satellite service for new customers, expanding beyond its metropolitan cable footprint.

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9. 1998Galaxy subscriber base acquired

   Following Australis Media's insolvency, Foxtel takes over Galaxy subscribers and supplies them with Foxtel programming.

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10. 1995Foxtel launches

    The News Corporation–Telstra joint venture launches on 23 October with approximately 20 channels.

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A premium Australian subscription television and streaming platform combining live sport, entertainment, movies, news and on-demand video across satellite, IPTV and internet-based services.

• FoxtelPay television1995

  The core subscription television service, offering packages of general entertainment, movies, sport, news, documentaries, lifestyle and specialist programming. Historically available through cable and satellite, it increasingly uses satellite, IPTV and connected-device delivery.

• Foxtel NowStreaming television2017

  An over-the-top subscription service created from the former Foxtel Play proposition. It provides internet-delivered access to selected Foxtel programming without requiring the full traditional pay-TV installation model.

• Foxtel iQSet-top box and platform

  Foxtel's digital television platform and set-top-box family, combining live channels, electronic programme guides, recording functions, on-demand content and, in later generations, internet-connected features.

• Fox SportsSports television

  A portfolio of sports channels and services carried within the Foxtel ecosystem. It has been central to the company's proposition through coverage of Australian football codes, cricket, rugby, motorsport, racing and international sport.

• Foxtel MoviesMovie subscription service

  A group of premium movie channels and related on-demand programming organized around premieres, family titles, action, comedy, romance, drama, classics and other themed selections.

• HubblConnected television platform2024

  A Foxtel Group platform designed to aggregate streaming services and provide a connected-TV interface. Its operations were affected by workforce reductions reported after the DAZN acquisition.

• 2017Foxtel is for everyone

  Australia

  Foxtel introduced a major brand repositioning intended to make the service appear more accessible and less exclusive. The campaign accompanied a lowercase logo and the renaming of Foxtel Play as Foxtel Now.

  Outcome. Brand identity refreshed and streaming offer renamed.

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• 2024Agree to sale to DAZNM&A

  News Corp Australia pursued strategic alternatives for Foxtel amid cord-cutting, free ad-supported streaming competition and interest from potential buyers.

  What changed. DAZN agreed to acquire Foxtel in a transaction valuing the business at A$3.4 billion, with News Corp Australia and Telstra retaining minority interests in DAZN.

  Aftermath. The transaction completed on 2 April 2025 after approval by Australian regulators. Foxtel and related brands were retained.

  Transaction enterprise value. A$3.4 billion (Announced 23 December 2024; completed 2 April 2025)

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• 2022Retire HFC delivery in favour of satellite and IPTVStrategy

  The transfer of Telstra's HFC network to NBN Co and the continuing shift toward internet-based viewing reduced the strategic role of legacy cable distribution.

  What changed. Foxtel announced that it would discontinue HFC delivery and rely on satellite and IPTV services.

  Aftermath. The transition was completed in 2023, leaving the NBN HFC network to carry broadband data rather than Foxtel television services.

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• 2018Combine Fox Sports Australia with FoxtelM&A

  News Corp Australia sought to combine its sports television business with Foxtel to create a more integrated subscription television and live-sports operation.

  What changed. The businesses were combined, with News Corp Australia holding 65 percent and Telstra holding 35 percent of the resulting entity.

  Aftermath. The combined business placed live sport alongside entertainment and streaming as a central part of its strategy.

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• 2025DAZN completes acquisition of Foxtel

  The acquisition was completed after approval by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Foreign Investment Review Board. Foxtel subsequently reported workforce reductions, particularly affecting the Hubbl subsidiary.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2024News Corp Australia explores a sale of Foxtel

  News Corp Australia reportedly reviewed strategic alternatives for Foxtel amid interest from potential buyers and pressure from cord-cutting and free ad-supported streaming services.

  M&A
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• 2024DAZN announces agreement to acquire Foxtel

  DAZN announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel in a transaction valuing the company at A$3.4 billion. News Corp Australia and Telstra were to retain minority interests in DAZN.

  M&A
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• 2022Foxtel suspends distribution of RT in Australia

  Foxtel stopped distributing the Russian state-backed television network RT in Australia following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

  RegulationOther
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• 2022Foxtel and WWE extend Australian partnership

  Foxtel extended its WWE agreement and became the exclusive Australian home of WWE programming. WWE Network content was planned for integration into the Binge streaming service, alongside a dedicated linear channel.

  OtherProduct launch
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1. Foxtel