2014 marks the first year of Telstra’s presenting sponsorship of the ARIA Awards and it signalled to the Australian music industry that Telstra is committed to connecting through music. The ARIAs are the flagship event of the Australian music calendar and a celebration of all that is great and popular in local music.

The very first ARIA Awards were held in 1987 at the Sheraton Wentworth Hotel in Sydney, recognising excellence and innovation across all genres of Australian music. Those very first ARIAs were hosted by Sir Elton John and winners included INXS, Crowded House and a young John Farnham. Since that time the ARIA Awards have developed into Australia’s pinnacle Awards ceremony, forging careers and playing host to countless memorable moments and performances.

As presenting partner, Telstra supported the event by delivering a curated digital experience that showcased the best behind-the-scenes moments from the 2014 ARIA Awards via a digital platform called Crash The ARIAs. It’s goal was too connect music fans to the glitz and glamour of the red carpet, exclusive backstage interviews and find rarely seen candid moments with the stars.

Crash The ARIAs platform delivered exclusive, shareable and relevant behind-the-scenes content from the event including The Red Carpet, a Telstra Connected Green Room interviews hosted by Scott Tweedie (co-host of Network TEN’s The Loop TV show. We featured galleries of the best images and videos from Twitter Mirror, Instagram’s InstaBooth and 360 Vines. Candid backstage moments including interviews from YouTube star Steph Micayle and special backstage cameras. We will also connected fans to some of their favourite performances from the night with a special multi-screen edit of selected performances.

Crash The ARIAs Social response lab was launched to enhance the social viewing experience of influential music fans, and surprise and delight some lucky fans on the red carpet with the last mosh pit tickets. we used paid media including display advertising on Take 40, Vevo and ARIA Charts, Radio & Search to bring in the audience. Telstra social channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Telstra Exchange were used and during thew week our internal MEDIA assets including foyer screens and 400 George VM played music content.

Lastly Telstra partnered with Apple with an integration of iTunes and iTunes Radio content into Crash The ARIA’s that delivered an exclusive iTunes playlists curated by artists attending and performing at the ARIA Awards. Live performances from the ARIA Awards were immediately made available for download on iTunes post awards. An iTunes Radio brand sponsorship also delivered an ad-free radio experience for Telstra mobile and broadband customers.

There was a 600% increase in social conversation year-on-year around the ARIA key word. Over 3.3 million impressions across Twitter while the show was on-air which is 81% share of all TV-related Tweets on the night.

Check out the Twitter heat map to see the global reach of the #ARIAs http://trendsmap.com/v2/IP6J/w

Foxtel is one of Australia’s most progressive and dynamic media companies and today we are launching a dramatic package and price change for new Foxtel customers and rewarding our existing customers on former packages with extra content at no extra cost.

The new prices see Telstra’s new Entertainer Supreme Bundles launch today with an unprecedented number of Foxtel from Telstra bundle options starting at $100 a month aimed at satisfying Australian families’ thirst for fast internet connectivity and entertainment across multiple devices in the home. This product change is the culmination of eight months work across Telstra’s media, networks, fixed broadband and channel teams.

The Entertainer Supreme Bundles include an extended range of premium Foxtel content  channels, a world-class Wi-Fi modem for new home broadband customers for up to three times faster home Wi-Fi than the previous model when using AC compatible devices.

All Entertainer Supreme Bundles include an IQHD set top box providing customers the ability to pause and rewind live TV and record multiple programs simultaneously. All Entertainer Supreme Bundles include:

• 40+ premium Foxtel from Telstra channels
• IQHD set top box – featuring the ability to record and rewind live TV, as well as Look-Back
• Fast and reliable broadband on Telstra’s fixed line network

Plus new home broadband customers will also enjoy the superfast Telstra Gateway Max™ Wi-Fi modem, offering the best in-home Wi-Fi speed and coverage that Telstra has to offer. The new gateway will also be compatible with the Telstra Wi-Fi network so customers will be able to join the Telstra Wi-Fi community when it launches in 2015.

Telstra’s new Entertainer Supreme Bundles also include access to Foxtel GO – for on-the-go streaming of selected Foxtel channels on compatible smartphones, tablets and laptop devices (data charges apply).

The Entertainer Supreme Bundles start from $100 per month for 24 months and for a limited time new fixed broadband customers will receive up to $437 worth of bonus value with our broadband self install option including free standard Foxtel install (value of $75), $0 Foxtel iQHD set top box (value of $75), $0 broadband activation fee (value of $59), and inclusion of the AC Gateway Max with free delivery (value of $228) when you stay connected for 24 months. Min cost $2400.

New Foxtel from Telstra standalone pricing will also come into effect on 3 November, with new customers able to access premium entertainment and more channels for an incredibly low price. Existing Foxtel from Telstra customers will receive benefits at no extra charge to their current plans.

Chief among our Entertainment channel changes include the addition of a new BoxSets channel, offering full seasons of series including Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, True Blood, Boardwalk Empire, Band of Brothers and more; the first animated series from Working Dog (makers of Front Line, Utopia, The Panel); Deadline Gallipoli starring and executive-produced by Sam Worthington: a comedy from (Kath And Kim producer) Rick McKenna and (Angry Boys producer) Laura Walters: the thriller The Kettering Incident; a third season of prison drama Wentworth and the popular drama A Place To Call Home.

Now Foxtel customers on our former packages get even more. We’ve added more brilliant entertainment to your package at no extra cost. You don’t need to do a thing – your extra content is ready to watch. And don’t worry, your monthly subscription fee won’t change as a result of these changes while you stay on your current package.

For more details about our exciting Foxtel from Telstra changes see http://www.telstra.com.au/entertainment

There is plenty of great action on the field at ANZ Stadium tonight with South Sydney taking on the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in the 2014 NRL Grand Final, but we at Telstra are just as excited about a new innovation up in the stands.

It’s called the Telstra Connected Lounge and it’s the next part of our strategy to provide brilliantly different experiences for our customers.

Debuting last week at NRL Preliminary Final, it’s the first of its kind in Australia where our customers, NRL fans and partners will get a chance to be part of a new type of live game experience.

The Telstra Connected Lounge is effectively an interactive technology centre where fans will be able to immerse themselves in the latest technology and enjoy bespoke content including;

Our team from Sportsfan are providing bespoke video content for everyone at the game tonight, which will be accessible via the ANZ Stadium App over the Stadium’s WiFi. Great content such as fan emotion pieces captured outside the ground will be available, as well as special features and interviews filmed from inside the Connected Lounge.

Other features of the Lounge include;

• A wall of interactive televisions with Gesture Recognition Software will showcase customised video content and live stats
• Bespoke content will be generated from the Lounge from our media partners Triple M who will call the game live for fans at the stadium
• Channel 9 will produce half time content from the suite which will (at selected games) be displayed on the big screens in the stadium
• Social content created specifically for the fans at the stadium will be generated direct from inside the Lounge
• Telstra Thanks Loyalty initiatives can be promoted in real time to our customers in the form of instant ticket upgrades or a chance to visit the Lounge

Beau Ryan interviewing Daly Cherry-Evans. Daly the 2014 Dally M Halfback of the Year. A fantastic season for the Manly Sea Eagles, Queensland and Australia.

The Telstra Connected Lounge is setup as a blueprint of how we’ll continue to deliver on our Connected Stadium strategy, and how we’ll engage with customers and fans through digital channels.

We want to connect with our customers on a personal and meaningful level through tailored content, to deliver on Telstra Media’s strategy to create brilliantly different content experiences anywhere, anytime on any screen.

Beau Ryan has been fantastic to have in our Telstra Connected Lounge during the NRL finals. Where you from Beau ? http://youtu.be/9xCO3Ie0xp8

It’s our vision to have Connected Lounges at all major sporting venues across Australia as part of our Connected Stadium rollout… so stay tuned to hear more in this space!

If you’re a footy fan like me, you love this time of year. The run in to the business end of the season is exciting with teams vying for the last finals spots and the epic battles to see which team comes out victorious.

It can be hard to keep up with all the action, especially as the weather warms up and weekends start filling up with barbeques and trips to the beach.

To help you enjoy a brilliant finals season, whether you’re at home or out and about, we are offering Telstra mobile customers free access to the NRL Digital Pass or AFL Live Pass for the NRL and AFL finals period. This means you will be able to watch every finals game live on your smartphone or tablet, plus you will have access to other exclusive content like live stats and post match press conferences.

Better than that, if you’re a Telstra customer, you won’t be charged for any data when you watch content via the app over the Telstra Mobile Network (data charges will apply to download the NRL Digital Pass app and AFL Live Pass app).

The offer is open to anyone with an eligible service who haven’t already redeemed a THANKS offer for the NRL Digital Pass or AFL Live Pass this year and do not have an active NRL Digital Pass or AFL Live Pass subscription.

The offer is open between 4 September and 6 October 2014 and to redeem it all you need is your unique code, which you can get here.

So if you are a footy fan, sign up now and enjoy. Connect with us during the finals through our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages and let us know who you’ll be cheering for this finals season.

Go Manly! Go the Swannies!

Telstra Media has revamped Sky News’ digital platform as part of the broadcaster’s refreshed online and mobile network presence.

The new responsive news design focus has been launched across Sky News’s online, tablet and mobile properties and is a continuation of the Telstra Media content partnership launched in 2013.

Sky News replaced BigPond News for the Telstra Media Network on October 1, 2013 and the partnership has resulted in a new digital publishing and delivery platform, which has been built on the market leading Adobe CQ5, using video streaming from Ooyala that delivers a responsive design that provides a seamless customer experience across online, tablet, mobile and Pay TV broadcast.

With more locally produced news content than all of Australia’s free-to-air networks combined, Sky News now has a robust digital platform to syndicate this content and provide an unparalleled opportunity for advertisers to execute multi-screen native advertising and content-led campaigns at scale.

This refresh allows consumers even faster and more comprehensive access to breaking news as well as new opportunities for advertisers to reach and engage with consumers across multiple platforms.

Sky News’ extensive library of broadcast programming – covering topics such as Technology, Business, Finance, Weather and National news – can now be extended from Foxtel homes onto mobile and desktop devices, forging deeper connections between advertisers and customers.

For the past 18 years, Sky News has been providing unrivalled news coverage to the Australian public through its Foxtel broadcast channels. The content partnership between Telstra Media and Sky News has seen the news channel’s digital audience grow by over 120% year on year. Sky News is now reaching over 480,000 Australians¹each month through the digital platform, SkyNews.com.au. When combined with a Television reach of 3,000,000, Sky News delivers mass-reach communication opportunities.

Now on Telstra T-Box we have four new video on demand channels covering
AFL, NRL, SportsFan and Racing Network.

The channels appear in the T-Box vertical channel stack and show the latest videos, match replays and other highlights creating an experience similar to watching internet TV channels while still allowing you to choose which videos you would like to watch.

These channels are also unmetered for Telstra BigPond Broadband customers.

And for all you AFL & NRL fans you’ll be able to customise your video viewing experience by choosing your favourite team for easy access to their latest video content.

 

AFL On Demand, T-Box Channel 986 
Want to get closer to your AFL team? Watch the latest video content, including feature shows, match replays and highlights on demand. You can also select your favourite teams for easy access to their content. If you would like LIVE AFL GAMES multi screen subscribe to AFL app LIVE Pass.

NRL On Demand, T-Box On Channel 985
Catch replays of every NRL match, with full replays and match highlights on demand. If you would like LIVE NRL GAMES multi screen subscribe to NRL APP and the DIGITAL PASS.

The Racing Network On Demand, T-Box Channel 982
Catch up on the race day action. Watch the latest racing news video, race replays and expert analysis with The Racing Network On Demand. If you would like LIVE RACING EVENTS multi screen subscribe to Racing Network app for IOS and Android.

SportsFan On Demand, T-Box Channel 988
Couldn’t get enough of SportsFan Clubhouse? Watch all the best bits on SportsFan On Demand. Plus get AFL/NRL match replays, Adventure Racing videos and more. Also available is the Sportsfan app for IOS and Android.

Let’s create it here and now.

A future where everything is connected and works together. Where technology brings you closer to everyone you care about. It’ll be brilliant. And it’s happening now.

Today we announced our vision ‘to create a brilliant connected future for everyone,’ our commitment to helping build a future where everyone is connected in meaningful and valuable ways which enrich lives.

But what does the brilliant connected future look like and what good is the future if it’s in the future?

To demonstrate an example of our purpose,  muru-D our startup incubator group based in Paddington, Sydney was created. This co-working space, business support, mentoring and coaching unit is headed by Ann Parker, who joined Telstra from Telefonica late last year.

muru-D announced this week the 10 successful teams to enter its start-up accelerator program in what is a unique opportunity for the cream of Australian innovative start-ups to learn from the best and receiving ongoing business support, mentoring and coaching to bring their ideas to life in addition to a $40,000 investment each.

The 10 extraordinary teams represent a broad range of industries, from app development to sustainable farming equipment and even financial software.

This group signifies the beginning of the muru-D journey. These elite start-ups form the first round of the accelerator program which will help foster local technology innovation, by identifying and supporting start-ups to develop their products and services.

muru-D called for nominations from across the whole of Australia. The first round was judged by industry heavy weights such as Aliza Knox the Managing Director of Online Sales, APAC at Twitter and Stuart Fox, Managing partner of Artesian Ventures. Only passionate and innovative entrepreneurs, dedicated to their big idea and ready to take their start-up global made the cut.

The muru-D winners are:

• Chatty Kidz – a video chat platform for global families using educational content to engage the kids
• Class Cover – an online platform for schools that automates the real time sourcing and booking of casual teaching cover
• Farmbot – a revolutionary new monitoring system for farms
• Limerocket – a social games network, connecting SmartPhones to digital screens to enable multi-screen games
• Momentum Cloud – Australia’s leading provider of cloud-based performance and reporting software for schools and child care centres
• Open Learning – a social platform to facilitate tradition e-learning practices
• Pixc – a high volume image editing service for e-commerce stores
• Safesite – a revolutionary safety management system, saving time, money and improves safety on building sites
• Vistr – SaaS CFO – helping SMBs better manage their finances and grow profits
• Zed Technologies – a software and workflow solutions developer that enables Radiology Departments to work more effectively

Ann explained, “muru-D is passionate about supporting innovation in Australia.”

“I’m confident the first group to enter the program is only the beginning to unearthing some of the most exciting technology companies Australia has to offer. This opportunity could be life-changing for the successful finalists and we just can’t wait for things to get started,” Parker added.

“Telstra is passionate about playing a key role in identifying, nurturing and retaining the country’s best entrepreneurial talent, to help drive technology-based economic development,” said Charlotte Yarkoni, Co-Founder of muru-D & Head of Global Applications & Platforms at Telstra.

“For Australia to remain a leader in the new digital economy we must ensure we’re consistently nurturing local innovation. muru-D is the place for technology start-ups to access investment opportunities and business assistance in their crucial acceleration phase,” she added.

The six month long funded acceleration program, based in Paddington, Sydney, NSW, will provide the winners with access to business mentors and coaches, and introductions to Telstra’s partners and suppliers. muru-D will invest $40,000 in exchange for 6% equity. At the end of the program, the start-ups will participate in a demonstration day for media and investors, to secure further rounds of funding.

Telstra is again excited to be a proud sponsor 2013 Sydney New Year’s Eve after last year’s amazing success.

This year, in conjunction with City of Sydney, Telstra is broadcasting LIVE the NYE 2013 event via a dedicated YouTube channel.

As part of the special event Telstra is giving all young Australians aged 16 and under the chance to design a firework, then see it come to life with their family at the Sydney New Year’s Eve official Dawes Point VIP Viewing Area.

To enter, all they need to do is draw a design, then simply take a photo of it using their phone and picture message the drawn design to 0498 600 600 (along with the name and age of the author and the parent/guardian’s name).

The design which shows the most creativity, effort and practicality of being reproduced as a firework, as chosen by our Telstra and City of Sydney judges, will light up the sky during the biggest fireworks display in the world and be flown to Sydney along with their family from their nearest capital city to see it in person.

Telstra has also produced the official smartphone app, that will provide you with exciting content in the month leading up to 2013 Sydney New Year’s and will help you connect with friends and family at midnight on New Year’s Eve no matter where you are in Australia.

Discover the best places to watch the 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks around Sydney Harbour, as well as information you may need about each of the key sites.

Stay in touch with everything happening on New Year’s Eve, thanks to the Telstra Timeline, and share content with friends for the chance to win a money-can’t-buy meet and greet with Michael Bublé on his April-May 2014 Australian tour.

One great feature of the app is the opportunity to write one of 1,600 messages that will be projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons during the night. If you’re by the harbour, keep an eye on the pylons to see if yours is chosen.

Below is the custom message that I created.

Lastly Telstra via the official NYE app is offering all Australian’s the opportunity on New Year’s Eve to send up to 50 FREE Standard SMS messages to family and friends for you from midnight no matter what network you’re on – that way you can just enjoy your party.

So Happy New Year everyone and have a great 2014.

This week Telstra’s dynamic repertoire of premium news, sport and lifestyle content has a new home – Telstra Media. From today, the BigPond online and mobile site will change to this new and exciting destination where Telstra’s house of premium content multi screen brands will call home.

Telstra Media is Australia’s largest IPTV service provider through the award winning Telstra T-Box and a close partnership with Foxtel to bring premium movies, music, live sport and entertainment to hundreds of thousands of customers. Telstra Media’s goal is to be Australia’s leading aggregator and distributor of premium content accessible by our customers on any device, anywhere, anytime – bundled with our broadband, voice and mobile products to deliver ‘better with Telstra’ experiences.

This evolution of our online portal will enable customers to more easily navigate, view and access exciting Telstra Media products through the three main tiers of News, Sport and Lifestyle.

The start page is where you can get up to the minute breaking news from our news partner Sky News Australia our leading multi-platform 24-hour news supplier, a joint venture of Nine Digital, a division of Nine Entertainment Co., Seven Media Group and British Sky Broadcasting.

Sky News Australia features news on the hour, every hour and headlines updated every fifteen minutes. Leading reporters and experts in Politics, Business, Finance, Weather and Showbiz.

Telstra Media also welcome to our network The Lifestyle Channel a leading media partner of contemporary lifestyle interests. Its programming covers topics including food and wine, home and garden, real estate, shopping, leisure, travel and real life drama.

LifeStyle has three subsidiary channels LifeStyle Food, Australia’s only channel dedicated to food, LifeStyle You, which is dedicated to fashion, health, makeover and wellbeing and LifeStyle Home which is dedicated to DIY and garden advice.

Telstra Media has also updated network header and footer the latest sport from SportsFan, the Official AFL, The Official NRL, and The Racing Network. It’s also the media hub where you can get MOG and stream 20 million songs.

And last but not least, the place where you check your email with BigPond email, find businesses with Yellow pages, or sign up to Foxtel from Telstra or Foxtel on T-Box.

Telstra Media is where you get all your premier content and media experiences all delivered by the brand that wants to create a brilliant connected future for all Australia.

Existing BigPond customers going to http://www.bigpond.com  will be automatically redirected to http://media.telstra.com.au where they can still access their account and webmail. The transition does not apply to any of BigPond Access Products. There will be no changes to customers’ BigPond email address and account.

At Telstra Media, we are looking  forward to continuing to excite customers with brilliant entertainment experiences and playing a significant role in helping grow Telstra into a vibrant and innovative technology company.