Weekend coverage of the new high definition TV channels from Ten and Seven missed the point of the near simultaneous news releases on Friday evening: that relations between Seven and Ten, broadcast partners in the AFL, are poor and in fact a state of hostilities exists between the two.

Ten and Seven have been sniping at each other for months with Seven CEO, David Leckie, going out of his way to rubbish Ten’s approach to programming during briefings and the network claiming victory over Ten in timeslots and programming battles whenever it can, such as Seven’s loud proclamation of the year’s win in the 18 to 49 demographic last week.

Seven is upset with Ten for refusing to sign up for the TiVo-based PVR digital platform and then breaking ranks and signing up for the Foxtel Electronic Program Guide. That was regarded at Seven as an act of treachery. The two networks have also been fighting over AFL coverage since the joint partnership started this year and last week Seven tried to elbow its way into the delicate negotiations Ten has been having with Endermol Southern Star about the next series of Big Brother.

Ten had been planning to launch its new high definition multi-channel business in two-three weeks’ time, but Seven rushed out a quick statement on Friday after learning a far more detailed statement was coming from Ten that evening.

Ten has spent the best part of nine months and $10 million on this project with around 30 people involved: it also announced last November an additional $15 million to digitise content for the new HD channel, and quietly hired 20 staff several weeks ago for the December launch.

Seven’s hurried statement said nothing, apart from the news that the channel will start in December: it was an announcement long on promise and very, very short on detail.

In contrast Ten’s release included a name for the new channel (TEN-HD) and programming information (only in broad detail, but ideas and strategy):

“For substantial periods of the day, TEN-HD will break away from TEN’s primary channel, offering alternative programming and themed events focusing on, for example, Live Sport, Entertainment, Movies, Documentaries and Science Fiction, Even better, TEN-HD’s signature programs will be in stunning, full HD, delivering the highest possible picture and sound quality to viewers at home, 50 hours per week of programming viewers won’t see on the main TEN channel, 11 hours of time-shifted programming per week, including TEN’s 5pm News, Natural extensions of TEN’s big-event franchises, such as The Biggest Loser, Australian Idol, Big Brother and So You Think You Can Dance; Themed nights such as “Sci-Fi Saturday”; Showcasing the wonderful HD content from National Geographic (high-end documentaries)”

Seven had none of that detail and has only been working on its HD effort for the past month at most. The network management is divided: CEO David Leckie wants the HD channel to start as soon as possible, but programming and production are nowhere near advanced as Ten. Seven had been planning a big launch for its HD channel to coincide with the Beijing Olympics next year.

Seven’s programming chief, Tim Worner, and sales chief, James Warburton, are reluctant converts and worry about the impact of the new channel on their existing operations. Ten has got its sales, operations, promotion and programming departments on board and part of the process.

The ABC has had ABC 2 running for more than a year and it’s gradually building viewers, thanks to the former head of the channel, Chris Winter, who was punted by ABC management in a “restructuring” three months ago.