Patrick Delaney announced as head of FOX Sports

FOXTEL CEO Mr Kim Williams today warmly congratulated Mr Patrick Delany on his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Fox Sports. 

“I would like also to pay tribute to David Malone who has run Fox Sports for the last 12 years.  David has done a really great job in overseeing an extraordinary transformation of Fox Sports.  David and his team have transformed Fox Sports - taking it from an analogue only operation to one that today offers FOXTEL customers ten sports channels and a wide range of interactive services,” Mr Williams said. 

“Patrick Delany is one of the most outstanding executives I have ever worked with and his is a superb appointment to run Fox Sports, which provides such a fundamentally important suite of channels to FOXTEL” Mr Williams said. 

“In April 2002 I invited Patrick to join me at FOXTEL to drive the development and roll-out of FOXTEL Digital.  In his time at FOXTEL Patrick has done a truly amazing job in overseeing the launch of a wide range of products including FOXTEL Digital, FOXTEL iQ, FOXTEL HD, FOXTEL on Xbox 360, and FOXTEL on T-box”

Patrick has played a key part in transforming Australia’s television landscape as FOXTEL today offers Australians massively expanded choice, fantastic digital pictures and sound, and control over their television viewing.  We offer our customers the ability to watch what they want, when they want and over a device of their choice.  Patrick has played an absolutely critical part in making this happen.” 

Patrick has also done a stellar job in driving FOXTEL’s Sales operations in times of real consumer caution.  During the height of the GFC Patrick oversaw FOXTEL’s sales team attaining some of the highest sales in FOXTEL’s history.” 

I am really looking forward to working with Patrick and Fox Sports in partnership as we move towards offering our customers even greater breadth and depth of coverage to the already very impressive Fox Sports offerings.” 

Finally, I’d like to thank David Malone for the enormous amount he’s done for FOXTEL and our sector and wish him the very best for the future” Mr Williams said.

TVNZ launches TVNZ Kidzone24

TVNZ Kidzone24 will feature trusted educational and inspiring content for pre-school children in an advertising-free environment.  TVNZ Kidzone24 will air 24 hours a day on the SKY platform from 1 May.

Chief Executive Rick Ellis is delighted that SKY has made it possible for TVNZ to extend the popular Kidzone brand beyond the two hours that are available on public service channel TVNZ 7.

“Kidzone has been an increasingly popular collection of programming, providing educational and entertaining content for young New Zealanders, with a significant amount of locally produced programming.

“It is fantastic that we are now able to offer a commercially-viable, expanded Kidzone channel, on the SKY platform.”

The TVNZ Kidzone24 schedule features a strong focus on local programming including existing favourites like Kidzone with Kayne which features presenter Kayne Peters and offers opportunities for young viewers to think and learn about the world around them. Other local shows include Buzzy Bee and Friends, hilarious sketch-comedy show The Giggles and from the creative minds of the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop, The Wot Wots.

TVNZ Kidzone24 will also feature exciting new content including Guess with Jess (the popular cat from Postman Pat) which will allow children to learn about science and nature and Babar And The Adventures of Badou - a show centred around Babar’s eight year old grandson, Badou and speaks to the importance of diversity, acceptance and strong family values.

The channel will be located on SKY Channel 046, within the stable of family channels and will be available as part of the SKY Basic Digital Package. Select content will also be available on iSKY.