Movie Network Channels
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Subscription television, Movie broadcasting |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Defunct | 31 December 2012 |
| Fate | Discontinued; replaced by Foxtel Movies |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Movie One, Movie Extra, Movie Greats, Family Movie Channel, Starpics, Movie Two (timeshift), Starpics 2 (timeshift), HD simulcasts |
| Owner | Warner Bros., Disney, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Village Roadshow (consortium) |
Movie Network Channels was an Australian premium subscription television movie platform consisting of five primary channels (Movie One, Movie Extra, Movie Greats, Family Movie Channel, Starpics 1), two standard definition timeshift channels (Movie Two, Starpics 2), and three high-definition simulcasts (Movie One HD, Starpics 1 HD, Starpics 2 HD). Its main rival in the market was Showtime. Originally, the service was exclusive to Optus TV, which held a partial ownership stake until 2000. Distribution expanded through content-sharing partnerships with Austar starting in 1999 and Foxtel from 2002. The channels were also accessible via Neighbourhood Cable, SelecTV, and TransACT.
The network was jointly owned and managed by a consortium including Warner Bros., Disney, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), and Village Roadshow. It showcased films from these studios as well as titles from DreamWorks and Australian distributor Hopscotch Films.
On 15 November 2009, Movie Network broadened its lineup by introducing three new channels, including one timeshift option, alongside three HD simulcasts. This expansion coincided with the launch of a revamped website and the adoption of the unified slogan "All Together Better!". Between 2009 and 2012, Movie Extra held the naming rights sponsorship for the renowned Tropfest short film festival.
On 6 December 2012, Movie Network declared it would discontinue operations effective 31 December 2012. This decision followed Foxtel’s acquisition of the Showtime Movie Channels as part of a strategy to consolidate movie offerings and reduce expenses. Although negotiations between Foxtel and Movie Network took place, some stakeholders reportedly pursued separate discussions with Foxtel regarding movie rights, which led to the breakdown of acquisition talks. Subsequently, on 9 December 2012, Foxtel announced that both Movie Network and Showtime (except for Showcase) would be replaced by a new collection of Foxtel-branded movie channels under the name Foxtel Movies.
Channels
Films generally appeared on one or more of the network’s channels for up to one year during their broadcast period.
Movie One
Movie One acted as the flagship channel featuring major releases from studios such as Warner Bros., Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, MGM, Becker Entertainment, Village Roadshow, and Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks, along with various independent film producers. The channel debuted on 20 September 1995 under the original name The Movie Network before rebranding to Movie One on 7 September 1997. Alongside its timeshift counterpart Movie Two, Movie One offered Redspace, an interactive movie experience providing quizzes, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews at no extra cost. The channel primarily showcased films released from 2005 onward. Its high-definition simulcast launched on 15 November 2009.
Movie Two
Movie Two functioned as the timeshift variant of Movie One, broadcasting identical programming with a two-hour delay. This channel commenced operations in 2004.
Movie Extra
Movie Extra, which began broadcasting on 7 September 1997, presented a diverse selection of both Australian and international films, including premieres of more provocative movies and documentaries. Over time, the channel broadened its programming to include American and British television series such as Five Days, Dirt, The L Word, and Mad Men. Its primary focus was on films from the late 1990s through the early 2000s.
Movie Extra Webfest
The Movie Extra Webfest was an annual competition centered on creating trailers. The first winner in 2011 was Henry and Aaron with their entry Henry & Aaron’s 7 Steps to Superstardom. The 2012 champion, Event Zero, premiered on 22 May 2012 and featured performances by Zoe Carides, Valentino Del Toro, Harry Pavlidis, and Steve Davis.
Movie Greats
Movie Greats, launched on 20 September 1995, focused on classic cinema drawn from studio archives, covering films from the 1930s up until the mid-1990s. The channel frequently organized themed months or film marathons and adopted the taglines "Movies that move you" and "Movies for me" starting from 15 November 2009.
Family Movie Channel (FMC)
Family Movie Channel, which debuted on 15 November 2009, specialized in family-oriented movies rated G and PG, along with selected M-rated titles deemed suitable for lighter viewing. New premieres were typically scheduled for Saturday evenings.
STARPICS
Starpics, launched on 15 November 2009, showcased back-to-back films starring the same actor under the tagline "Movies you know, actors you love." The channel was available in both standard and timeshift formats, each offering HD simulcasts.
Download Channels for Foxtel subscribers
Subscribers to Foxtel Movie Network could access downloadable films for Windows PCs through three dedicated channels: Movie Action, Movie Comedy, and Movie Drama. These channels supplied exclusive content that was regularly refreshed for Foxtel’s download platform.
MovieBox on FetchTV
In June 2010, Movie Network launched MovieBox, a subscription-based on-demand movie service available via Fetch TV. This service featured titles from affiliated studios, providing a new film each day alongside instant access to a library of 30 titles, with playback controls available for up to 30 days. Included in FetchTV’s basic subscription package, MovieBox continued adding new films even after the cessation of Movie Network Channels’ broadcasts.