1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Some good news and some bad news for sky TV today. 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: The good news they got the credit back were who. 3 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: The bad news a net loss after tax of one 4 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 1: point seventy five million dollars. This is for the half year. 5 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: Sophie Maloney is the sky TV chief executive. Hi, Sophie, right, 6 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: how are you doing good? Thank you great to have 7 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: you on the show. How are you feeling about this result? 8 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: Obviously not great and at a headline number? 9 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, it's it's like many New Zealand New Zealanders 10 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: and New Zealand companies, it's been a tough half year 11 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 2: with the ongoing impacts on the economy. But equally, I'm 12 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 2: really proud of the hard work of the team. And 13 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,879 Speaker 2: you know, yes we've given we've slightly brought back our 14 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 2: guidance for the full year, but as you can see 15 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 2: we're pretty close, so you know, that gives us confidence. 16 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 2: But undoubtedly we've had impacts of the economy and also 17 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: our project to migrate satellite. So overall, really proud of 18 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: the team. But yeah, it's been tough out there. 19 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: What's the migration issue? What is it costing you? 20 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 2: Look, there are a lot of costs that flow into 21 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: that and we've communicated that there's about ten to twenty 22 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 2: million on the capex front. We haven't gone into the 23 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 2: other op x costs at this stage, but we're looking 24 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 2: to give an update at the full year. A lot 25 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 2: of the good news is we do have support from 26 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: Optis who provide our satellite, so overall, from an investor perspective, 27 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 2: we're saying it's going to stay largely cash neutral by 28 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: the end of next financial year. 29 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: You were hoping to have this done by April. I 30 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: think I saw was the last hope date. Is that 31 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: at risk? 32 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 2: No, the April, the early April is certainly the date 33 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: that we're all working towards to migrate SESS lights and 34 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 2: everything is on. 35 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: Track to do so, right because it says in your 36 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: report and your release today that there is a risk 37 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: around that. What's the risk? 38 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 2: Oh, it's just ongoing. You know. We haven't given a 39 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 2: specific date because we're just working through all of the 40 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: testing and configuration. There's a huge amount of work for 41 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: the team to do. The good news, Ryan Thos, For 42 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 2: our customers, there's nothing more they need to be doing 43 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 2: at this stage because the sesslite's in the same place 44 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: as the current one, so all of their dishes can 45 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: point towards. 46 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: That are Yeah, but how many of your customers at 47 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 1: the moment can't actually watch sky or can't watch a 48 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: continuous sky. 49 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 2: Well, the good news is we've made significant improvements with 50 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 2: the help of Optis on the satellite signal, so the 51 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 2: issues coming into our contact center and the truck rolls 52 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: that we need to do to go to customers home 53 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 2: and our back beload to BAU levels, which means that 54 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: the signal strength has improved. So right now, my expectation 55 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 2: is that the bulk of our customers are not having 56 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 2: any issues at all with the satellite delivery, and of 57 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: course they've all got sky Go, which is our complimentary 58 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 2: app to support their sky sky viewing. 59 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: How did what went wrong then? I mean, if you're 60 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: able to get it sorted, get the satellite into the 61 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: right position now, how could you not have done that sooner? 62 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: So that's a fair question, and it certainly wasn't our 63 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 2: expectation nor that of Optive that we would have this 64 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: signal strength issues on the ground. As soon as we 65 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 2: became aware of it, we worked hard with Optis to 66 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: make these corrections for which are not all that straightforward, 67 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 2: but now that we've done that, it has had a 68 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 2: really great impact on the customers that we're suffering. And 69 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 2: you know, just in terms of these numbers, it was 70 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 2: up to five percent of customers that had issues. So 71 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: that does mean that ninety five percent of that Skybox 72 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 2: base didn't have any issues at all. But as we've shared, 73 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 2: we know that it's been an issue and we don't 74 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: like that for our customers. But we're definitely on track 75 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: now and the migration will happen early April. 76 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: Does that mean compensation for five thousand customers? 77 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, there are credits being offered to customers. Have they 78 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 2: directly impacted? 79 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: How much are they getting here? 80 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 2: It varies depending upon what services have got and what 81 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: the period of interruption. We've said in our in our 82 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 2: results that we've given our two hundred k of credits 83 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 2: at the half, So you know, that's just to give 84 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 2: you a sense of the overall scale. 85 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: Hey, how worried are you about the technician issue? A 86 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: lot of people saying I call the technician waiting for 87 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: weeks never came. 88 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so look that that's we we agreed a new 89 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 2: arrangement with Downer, who's been working incredibly hard. It was 90 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 2: a bit of a confluence of events, the moving to 91 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 2: a new provider at the same time that we suddenly 92 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 2: had a massive uplift in demand, you know, a sixty 93 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: percent uplift and calls into the contact center, and so 94 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 2: that did lead to rescheduling issues, and quite frankly, we 95 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 2: didn't communicate as well between us and Downer and the customers. 96 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 2: So we have left customers frustrated, and we've certainly apologized 97 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 2: for that. The issues that we had have been faxed, 98 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 2: so it is we're on the path and we've almost 99 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 2: we've almost cleared the backlog. Must on the next few weeks. 100 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: Frustrating for you, Sophie, because it's really an optus issue, 101 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: is what you've said. I imagine you've had some stern 102 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: words with them over the last few months. 103 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, it. We certainly had some robust discussions. What I'm 104 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: really grateful for is their CEO understands what it's like 105 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 2: to be in a customer facing business, and he and 106 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 2: I've been in regular dialogue and the focus is absolutely 107 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 2: on making sure we get through the successful migration in April. 108 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: The good news, you've got the cricket, it's back on Sky. 109 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: What'd you pay for it. I know you won't tell 110 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 1: me but. 111 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 2: No, but I tell you what it was a speaking 112 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: of another good robust discussion with Scott ween At, the 113 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 2: chief executive of New Zealand Cricket. Yeah. Look, it was 114 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 2: super painful losing those rights back in twenty nineteen. So 115 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 2: really excited to welcome them back to you know, the 116 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 2: black cats and white Ferns back on Sky from October 117 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 2: next year. 118 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: For us Sky customers, now you've got White Lotus. I've 119 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: just actually rejoined Neon. You'll be pleased to know because 120 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: White Lotus is out? Is that what you're wanting to 121 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: I mean, there's only one episode, which is annoying, but 122 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: it comes every week. 123 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 2: Yeah. I tend to wait till at least there's a 124 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 2: few of them and then I get it onto the watch. 125 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 2: I say. I'm also looking forward to Handmaid's Tale because 126 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 2: I think it's actually a really important watch and the 127 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 2: world that we're living in now, so I highly recommend 128 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: it when it comes. 129 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: Do you get preview? Do you get to see the 130 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: shows before they come? Because you're the boss of Sky? 131 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 2: Do you know what? I probably could ask for that, 132 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: but I don't because I just loved being a consumer 133 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 2: and enjoying it quietly by myself. I know, maybe I'll 134 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: edit to the last once we get through Project Migrat. 135 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: Sounds like you might have to, Sophie. Thank you. Sophie Maloney, 136 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: the sky TV chief executive, with us on their results today. 137 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: Obviously not a great result for them, but they'll be 138 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: hoping to put a lot of that stuff behind them. 139 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: Sixteen minutes after for more from Hither Duplessy, Allen Drive, 140 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, 141 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.