CBN-8/CWN-6
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| CBN-8 / CWN-6 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Orange / Dubbo, New South Wales | |
| Channels | CBN: 8 VHF CWN: 6 VHF analog, none digital |
| Affiliations | Seven Network |
| Owner | Prime Television |
| Founded | CBN-8: March 17, 1962 CWN-6: December 1, 1965 |
| Call letters meaning | CBN = Country Broadcasting Services, New South Wales CWN = Central Western New South Wales |
| Former affiliations | Independent 1962-1989 |
| Website | primetv.com.au |
CBN-8 and CWN-6 were television stations that were licensed to, and serving the regions surrounding Orange and Dubbo in central western New South Wales.
Contents |
[edit] History
CBN-8 Orange commenced broadcasting on March 17, 1962, owned by Country Broadcasting Services, who also owned local radio station 2GZ. They soon changed their name to Country Television Services.
CWN-6 Dubbo began transmission on December 1, 1965. Also owned by CTS, they became the first station to completely relay another station's programming, although some station identification, such as test patterns, remained separate.
In 1968, the stations acquired access to the Postmaster-General's microwave link, allowing viewers to see national news programs and other major events live and direct for the first time.
By the early 1970s, the stations began to run into financial difficulties, and it was decided to enter into a joint programming agreement with MTN-9 of Griffith, creating the Television 6-8-9 network.
In the early 1980s, the network was renamed Midstate Television 6-8-9.
With aggreation looming, CBN and CWN were purchased by health care magnate Paul Ramsay's Ramcorp Ltd in 1987, and merged with fellow Ramcorp stations RVN-2/AMV-4 (known as RVN/AMV) to form The Prime Network in November 1988. Local programming was reduced, along with staff numbers, with morale at the time reported to be at "an all time low". The schedule began to look more like affiliation partner Seven's schedule, with new facilities built in Wollongong and Canberra to expand coverage.
When aggreation in southern New South Wales occurred in 1989, CBN and CWN were effecitvely merged into one station, CBN, branded as Prime Television. The station then expanded into the rest of the new license area, competiting against WIN and 10 Capital. The introduction of the two new stations into Orange was delayed by technical problems, and thus couldn't start in the area until later in the year.
In 1991, the Wagga and Orange licenses were merged into the one license, with RVN taking on the CBN callsign.
[edit] Today
These two stations, along with RVN are now one station, Prime Television, carrying the Seven Network. Local news continues in Orange/Dubbo and Wagga, along with minimal local product such as The Saturday Club.
[edit] Relay transmitters
These transmitters carried the CBN/CWN signals before aggreation:
- VHF 6, Lithgow (opened 1965)
- VHF 9, Mudgee (opened 1968)
- VHF 10, Cobar (opened 1969)
- VHF 10, Kandos/Rylstone (opened 1969)
- VHF 4, Portland/Wallerawang (opened 1972)
- VHF 11, Bathurst (opened 1977)
In addition to these transmitters, the network's programming was also carried on a MTN-9 relay in Hay, on VHF channel 5A.
[edit] Programming
CBN/CWN aired a significant amount of local programming in the pre-aggreation era.
Local sports telecasts, especially tennis and rugby, were a major part of the schedule in the late 1970s and early 1980s. From 1979, the station sponsored, and telecast the United Permanent Tennis Tournament, the only tournament of its kind in Australia.
A 30-minute documentary on the 1978 National Rodeo Titles, called Goin' Down The Road, won the station the 'Outstanding Contribution by a Regional Station' Logie Award in 1979.
Local programming in the 1980s included Focus, Rural Roundup, Early Shift, Weekend Report, Time to Live, Around The Schools, and coverage of local special events.
Current Calare independent MP Peter Andren was the local news reader and news director for the station in the 1970s and 1980s.
