Meet Stan: a new Netflix competitor from Nine and Fairfax

Nine and Fairfax have joined forces to create Australia’s newest subscription video streaming service: simply called “Stan”. The freshly-forged company driving this online operator is inventively called StreamCo, and it has already locked down the rights to Breaking Bad and its upcoming spin-off Better Call Saul.

While you’ll undoubtedly be able to get the latter from a difference source at some point, Stan will be the only legitimate avenue for Aussies to watch Better Call Saul just hours after it airs in the US.

Right now there’s no word on what else will be part of the Stan catalogue. Users will get unlimited access to stream TV shows and movies (no mention of documentaries) with no ads. It is expected to cost around $10 per month – roughly equal to Netflix.

Heating up

In the wake of Netflix’s impending Australian debut, expected in 2015, expect to see more channels and video content providers scramble desperately to prepare. Nine is the first of the major channels to get its act together, and the price of $10 per month is certainly appealing.

Unfortunately it’s not all roses. Once Seven and Ten get on board that will jump to $30 per month, assuming each charges the same and that you want all of the content. Aussies would be far better off with a joint venture like America’s HuluPlus, but at the moment that seems unlikely to happen.

Stan is set to launch next year. You can head on over to the website and register your interest if you’d like to be part of the free trial.

Alex Angove-Plumb

Digital Content Editor

Alex Angove-Plumb is a Digital Content Editor at WhistleOut and an award-winning journalist. He's been in the tech publishing industry since 2010, putting him a few short years away from the title of Grizzled Ancient in his chosen profession. He was an original WhistleOut-er before running NBN Co's corporate blog for two years, then moving on to a lengthy stint at CHOICE. Now he's come home.

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