Earlier this week Fetch TV announced a partnership with Metrological that will see the cloud-based platform integrated onto the Fetch service. A soft launch is expected at the end of the year.

Comcast acquired the Dutch technology start-up Metrological in September last year. The app integrator’s technology allows for simple integration of over-the-top streaming apps, which can be uploaded once into its system and rolled out across a number of providers.

CEO of Fetch TV Scott Lorson said that the deal had been in the works for a while but ramped up recently and implementation is already underway.

“We have been speaking to them for about a year and a half but when Comcast bought them 12 months ago we realised that they would become the default app store.”

Metrological is used by Comcast, Liberty Global, Vodafone and Turkcell. It will also allow Fetch to integrate niche apps, such as NBA League Pass, NFL Game Pass.

Lorson said that the new addition to the Fetch TV user experience and the back-office product suite enables Fetch to onboard, monetise and optimise apps that it offers its customers. 

“It is an international app store and we are building the gateway that opens up a world of digital apps for us.

“It augments our current strategy and is entirely aligned. We are a master aggregator and this lets us aggregate even more content.”

Metrological offers content providers access to the open Lightning Software Development Kit (SDK) for quick app development, with a single app build facilitating distribution to a global footprint of operators.

Fetch will deploy the Metrological application platform on its existing service in Australia and has secured rights for the New Zealand market. Fetch will work with Metrological and its partners to expand the available portfolio of local and international apps. 

This helps address the issue that local providers like Fetch have faced with having native apps made for global content companies like Disney +. 

Companies like Disney can upload its app into Metrological’s systems and providers that use Metrological can now provide the app through their set-top-boxes. Lorson said that while Fetch will continue to produce native apps but this will help address previous capacity restraints that stopped them from offering as many apps.

“We will continue to integrate tier-one apps and this is a bridge between the tier-one apps we integrate natively and the long tail that has historically been difficult for us to accommodate.

“The consumer appetite continues to grow and our capacity to satisfy that through local integration has been limited and this addresses capacity constraints while preserving user experience.

“It is about taking the best of our local experience and being a part of an international group of tier-one Telcos and that will put us well ahead of our competition.”

Fetch will also be utilising the Metrological Lightning Framework to provide GPU accelerated rendering of the user interface which will help create smoother transitions and animations.

In a statement released about the announcement Jeroen Ghijsen, CEO of Metrological said:

“Fetch shares our view that during this unprecedented time, where more content is being watched than ever, providing an integrated, single viewer experience becomes even more essential.

“With the Metrological Application Platform Fetch can seamlessly integrate OTT content into the main TV viewer experience and manage content in response to subscribers’ changing content needs, delivering an even more compelling content proposition and viewing experience.” 

Today, The Australian’s monthly luxury lifestyle magazine WISH has published its eighth annual Italian-themed edition. At 116 pages this edition is the largest book size the magazine has published this year as well as one of the most commercially successful issues in some time.

Editor David Meagher spoke to Mediaweek about the strong commercial support the issue has received as well as publishing during the current climate.

Meagher revealed there was a moment where they thought they wouldn’t go ahead with an Italian issue this year because of the prohibition on travel.

“We planned this issue months in advance and there was a moment when coronavirus was devastating Europe and we thought that perhaps this wasn’t the right time,” he said. “We realised though by the time September comes around it probably is the time to do it. We announced to our advertising partners we were going ahead and the support and interest was fantastic.”

Editor David Meagher

This month’s edition features advertisers including Italian brands such as Bulgari, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Max Mara, Salvatore Ferragamo and Canali. Along with luxury fashion advertisers including Chanel, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Hermes and Omega.

“One of the reasons for the expansion was driven by advertising. As a newspaper-inserted magazine, our book size is determined by the number of advertising pages we have – for this issue, we have 40. This year there was a question mark; we asked ourselves if this edition was going to be as popular as it was in previous years and we’ve been surprised that it has. There’s a lot of advertising interest for this edition and there always has been.”

Meagher explained how as a holiday destination, Italy has a lot of appeal for Australians.

“Generally speaking, it’s is a popular destination for Australians and we have a good relationship with Italy – partially because of the number of Italian migrants who moved here after the war. There’s a strong Italian culture in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and other places.

“There’s a story that opens the edition which addresses why Italy has this appeal for Australians through an essay-style format. We thought this year of all years, Italy being one of the hardest hits in the beginning stages of Covid, that we needed to have a story that addressed this desire we have for Italy.”

The 2020 Italian issue also contains exclusive interviews with design duo Domenica Dolce and Stefano Gabbana; Giorgio Armani; Maria Giulia Germanetti Maramotti, the granddaughter of the Max Mara founder; and Venetian resident and cooking sensation Skye McAlpine.

When it comes to travel, the issue takes a peek inside Collette Dinnigan‘s restored house in Ostuni in Puglia which is available to rent, and features her insider tips on the popular southern Italian region. Readers can also explore the tiny 15th century town of Civita Di Bagnoregio; Forte San Giorgio, a solitary island in the Tuscan Archipelago which is also available to rent; and look at what Venice is like without the hordes of tourists.

“We took the view that most people don’t read a magazine and then go on holiday the next month. It’s about long term planning. For some people – even without a coronavirus – they might read something and plan their trip for two years time. Generally, those big, luxury European holidays require quite a bit of forward-planning. post-Covid, there most certainly will be a demand and a desire to travel overseas again.”

With Italian editions in previous years, the magazine flies a crew of people overseas to Italy for photoshoots. “It’s a big investment for us to produce these issues and a big part of it is producing the fashion and cover shoots. We’ve shot in some amazing locations over the years. That was of course one big thing that we couldn’t do this year, so we shot one in an Italian restaurant in Paddington and another in Elizabeth Bay House in Sydney. 

“Just less than half of our travel features were produced in Italy by writers either based there or in Europe who were able to travel to Italy. Other content was produced within Australia as well as virtually over Zoom calls.”

The editor said they have high expectations of the issue due to a feeling that although readers are interested in the news and what’s going on with the economy and coronavirus, they’re also looking for an escape and some entertainment. “That’s what WISH magazine always does, but I think particularly that’s what this issue certainly provides people with.”

The September issue of WISH is available in The Australian today, Friday 4 September.

Just 12 months after falling to World Cup hosts England in the semi-finals, the best of the best in Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch will have pay back on their minds against the #1 ranked ODI side in the world.

England’s biggest and best will be out to take down Australia with the big hitting opening combination of Johnny Bairstow and Tom Banton, plus skipper Eoin Morgan.

The commentary team for all three ODI’s consists of Fox Cricket’s Shane Warne, former England captains Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain, along with Michael Holding.

Speaking from England ahead of the series, Warne said, “I just can’t wait – Australia back playing cricket against the old enemy in England – taking on the world champions in their own backyard.

“In this series I’m also really excited about Australia’s young players – especially Riley Meredith and Josh Philippe.”

Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins said: “We are really looking forward to playing international cricket again, it’s great to be here and we hope to get a few wins against England, which is always sweet on their home turf.

“It’s been just over a year since we were here for the World Cup and it’s a great opportunity to show the progress we have made as a team in the past 12 months.

“The last week has been a fantastic preparation for the T20 Series, then we go onto the one-dayers. England are in great touch right now so these games are a really good challenge for our group.”

Every game of the Qantas Tour of England is live and exclusive on Fox Cricket with no ad-breaks during play in HD (Foxtel channel 501) and available to stream on Kayo Sports.

After six seasons, this acclaimed show is up for several Emmys (tip – it’s going to win several), and it’s now being sent off here with Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt’s Creek Farewell (Tuesday on ABC Comedy and Netflix). It is fascinating to remember how unlikable and brittle the characters were in the first episodes, a factor which caused some viewers to stop watching (tip – dive back in from the second season onwahttp://www.mediaweek.com.au/tag/stan/rds).

Eugene Levy in Schitt’s Creek

Schitt’s Creek is about awful people who become nicer people and this premise works well because it is set in a small town in Canada. Can you imagine setting this in a racially divided American small town, full of homophobia and guns? It wouldn’t work, but position it further north and Schitt’s Creek could be the greatest Canadian TV series of all time.

Schitt’s Creek starts off dark and then lightens up, whereas new shows like I Hate Suzie (Stan) and I May Destroy You (streaming now on BINGE) start off dark and just get darker. If you thought Billie Piper and writer Lucy Prebble were outrageous when they made the series Secret Diary of a Call Girl (7plus), you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Both have teamed up again for an even more outrageous drama for Sky.

In I Hate Suzie, Billie Piper plays a self-involved actress whose phone is hacked. As compromising pictures of her become public, Suzie deals with the fallout while trying not to have a nervous breakdown. Meanwhile, her manager Naomi (Leila Farzad) begins to unravel after an incident on a train brings back memories of sexual abuse.

Billie Piper in I Hate Suzie

Abuse is also at the centre of I May Destroy You. After a wild blackout night, author Arabella (Michaela Coel) has flashbacks about being raped, so she tries to retrace what has happened. It is a huge step-up for Coel, whose breakout sitcom Chewing Gum (Netflix) debuted on small digital channel E4 in the UK. Now, I May Destroy You is a BBC/HBO co-production and Coel is its adored star, creator, writer and co-director.

Closer to home, tough women are also at the forefront of I Am Woman (Stan) and Halifax: Retribution (Nine). To learn more about these great local productions, check out our Mediaweek podcasts with I Am Woman co-producer Rosemary Blight and Halifax producer Roger Simpson and star Rebecca Gibney here.

—

Top photo: Schitt’s Creek

Seven News 1,042,000/971,000
Nine News 884,000/868,000
ABC News 732,000
A Current Affair 635,000
The Project 343,000/500,000
7.30 483,000
10 News 350,000/231,000
Sunrise 266,000
Today 228,000
The Drum 172,000
SBS World News 157,000

Thursday TV

Seven: With the AFL starting early in some markets Home and Away screened on 7TWO in some states with a combined 469,000.

The clash between the Giants and Carlton was another low scoring affair with the Giants sneaking away to a narrow victory with 418,000 across the network, 236,000 in Melbourne.

The Front Bar followed the football with the show helping to promote Plate of Origin via judge Matt Preston. The other guest also had a Pies connection – Sav Rocca. The episode did 315,000 with 192,000 in Melbourne.

Nine: The NRL Thursday was another blow for the Broncos as the Panthers continued their great form. The audience was 352,000 with 195,000 watching in Sydney and 134,000 in Brisbane.

10: After the Wednesday night episode that featured the host telling the contestants about the spread of Covid-19, last night on The Bachelor went online. Izzy and Locky cooked together remotely and then managed a spa via Zoom. The episode was on 561,000 after 537,000 on Thursday last week.

Following on was the channel’s Thursday best – Gogglebox with 604,000 watching after 610,000 a week ago.

The programming combo again secured a #1 ranking for 10 under 50 and 16-39 and 18-49. It also held a narrow lead 25-54.

ABC: A single mum was searching for a property on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast during Escape from the City with 251,000 watching.

SBS: It was Wales’ turn on The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys last night with an audience of 313,000 tuning in which pushed the episode into the top 20 for Thursday.

Secrets of the Tower of London followed on 208,000 before stage six of the Tour de France with 158,000