Channel 31 Melbourne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Channel 31 Melbourne
Type Community television channel
Country Australia
Availability Melbourne
Founded 1994
Owner Melbourne Community Television Consortium
Launch date 6 October 1994
Callsigns MGV-31 Melbourne
MGV-64 South Yarra
Website www.c31.org.au

Channel 31 Melbourne is a non-profit community television station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Its signal is transmitted from Mt. Dandenong, reaching much of the Greater Melbourne area, and parts of Geelong on free-to-air television. The station is also available on Neighbourhood Cable in Geelong. [1]

Contents

[edit] History

The station began broadcasting officially on 6 October 1994. The Australian Broadcasting Authority had granted Melbourne Community Television Consortium (MCTC) with a temporary open-narrowcast license on 5 March 1993. The framework of community television in Australia can be traced back to 1992, when the Government asked the ABA to conduct a trial of community television using the vacant sixth television channel (Channel 31).

On 30 July 2004, the Australian Broadcasting Authority granted the station a full-time community broadcasting licence.

[edit] Community Contract Exclusivity

C31 has an exclusivety contract which excludes producers and directors from distributing their content in different mediums for three years. Questions on how this is enforced have been repeadetly asked and the Community Channels were investigated by the ACCC.

[2] Shows transcripts that contain issues when dealing with Community Channels and the legal ramification if the 3 year contract is signed. Also their lack of willingness to share content with non Community TV stations such as Foxtel and Optus.

[edit] Funding

Channel 31 is primarily funded through sponsorship, grants, sale of airtime and member donations. The station does not receive any regular Government funding. [3] The annual revenue of C31 is approximately (AUD) $2 million per year. For comparison, the Nine Network, Australia's leading commercial station, has $907 million annual revenue[4].

[edit] Viewership

The station claims that "1.3 million Melbournians tune in each month" [5] This figure is supplied by the ratings company OzTam. Individual programs can have ratings of up to 60,000 to 70,000 viewers.

[edit] Transmission quality

C31's signal is broadcast in UHF only and at a lower power than Melbourne's other television stations (it is, for example, one quarter of SBS's output power). Nevertheless, viewers with good line-of-sight to the main transmitter on Mt Dandenong can receive a usable signal from as far away as Geelong, Castlemaine and Moe[citation needed].

There is also a translator transmitter on the Como building in South Yarra to provide in-fill for the St Kilda area; this operates on UHF 64.

[edit] Tuning

Most TV sets are capable of receiving C31, although it is often not included in the factory settings. However, using a TV's automatic tuning function can tune the station in if it is able to be received. Often a signal amplifier attached to the antenna can provide a much better C31 reception.

Unlike the other free-to-air stations, C31 is not yet broadcasting digitally. However, government reviews are underway to find a way to facilitate this. Fortunately for C31, many people have yet to convert to digital only television (in a recent government report, it was noted that only 13% of Australians had gone digital.)

[edit] FishCam

Fishcam, arguably the best-known programme on Channel 31.
Fishcam, arguably the best-known programme on Channel 31.

Fishcam is arguably Channel 31's best-known programme. It was a pre-recorded broadcast of a fish tank located in the station's studios, set to music by independent artists [6]. It used to be live, but the station got complaints from the ACMA when there was a dead fish floating on the top of the tank for several days. It was originally shown in place of a test pattern when the station had no programming available for broadcast. After it was discovered that Fishcam was reasonably popular, Fishcam became a scheduled show and is now listed in the TV guide. Channel 31 has boasted that Fishcam is "very popular" [7] and is so widely recognized in the Melbourne community that "many people know Channel 31 as 'the fish station'." [8] The station has previously made VHS tapes of Fishcam available for purchase.

After having its timeslot continually cut back over the years to make room for more traditional programming, Fishcam finally ceased broadcasting on March 4, 2007.[9]

[edit] Living Life Now

Living Life Now, hosted by motivational speaker Craig Harper, is an educational and inspirational resource for people who are serious about creating their best life.

Living Life Now combines two popular concepts in Australian television in one great show.

Living Life Now shows you how to get healthy and stay healthy and it shows you how to relax and indulge yourself.

Each week our presenters take you the audience to new and unusual places. From the workout world of the gym to the pure indulgence of a luxury spa. From home entertainment to preparing delicious inexpensive food.

Living Life Now viewers want change and fulfillment in their life. That's why the show is aimed at getting the audience involved.

It's not about sitting on the couch watching other people lose weight. It's about the audience getting off the couch and losing weight themselves.


[edit] Programming

Deaf TV, one of the diverse programs on Channel 31
Deaf TV, one of the diverse programs on Channel 31

Channel 31 broadcasts a vast array of locally-produced content including news, sport, youth, arts, and entertainment programmes. The station also features a substantial amount of local multicultural programming, celebrating Melbourne's ethnic diversity.

[edit] Barnaby Flowers

Barnaby Flowers is the collective of Melbourne writers, directors and producers behind the popular C31 shows, Barnaby Flowers Comeback Special, a live hour long sketch show and Barnaby Flowers A Time to Talk, a satirical mock interview show.

C31 Programming director Nathaniel Oliver said “I am confident that with it’s cheek and hilarity, Barnaby Flowers A Time to Talk and it’s many moments of madness will become the next big hit."

[edit] Pinoy TV and Pinoy TV Music Lounge

Main article: Pinoy TV Music Lounge

Pinoy TV is a television programme which is dedicated to Filipino-Australians living in Melbourne, Sydney and Darwin. It features cooking, news and cultural events. Pinoy TV is hosted by "Ate G" (Giselle Gonzales) and "DJ Gwapz", who has his own segments: Fully Sakit Move of the Week and Joke of the Week. On Music Lounge there are three videos from Filipinos artists. It is aimed a Teens, because of the Letter of the Week which is usually about Teen's issues or a Teenage problems. "Lola Bingi" (in Tagalog means "can not hear" or "deaf") also calls up and helps answer the question or Letter for Ate G. Music Lounge also has many segments about Philippine culture and food. There is also Manuel the Monkey who tells jokes to Ate G. She usually laughs in response or talks to the audience.

[edit] The Shambles with Sos, Valvo & Lynchy

Debuting in 2004, The Shambles has quickly become one of C31's most popular programs. This sketch comedy show starring Sos, Valvo & Lynchy was awarded 'Best Director' and 'Best Comedy Show at the 2005 Community TV Antenna Awards. In 2006, their debut DVD The Shambles: Best of Series 1 & 2 became the first ever program from Community TV to be nominated for an ARIA (Best Comedy Release).

[edit] Magic Dudes: As Seen On TV

Magic Dudes: As Seen On TV screens on all C31 stations across Australia but is screened as part of the Bite Size programme on C31 in Melbourne. The made for television series show cases the sleight-of-hand magic of the performing duo, the Magic Dudes. The series was filmed in front of a live audience and was based on a pilot that first was shown on C31 Adelaide in 2005.

[edit] No Limits

No Limits is a talk show about living with disability. It is a high-profile and popular show. Its 'politically-correct' content gives support to C31's raison d'etre.

[edit] Level 3

A video game related show that has reviews of PS2, XBOX, XBOX360 and PC games.

[edit] Chartbusting 80's

Since 2000, Chartbusting 80's has been one of C31's most popular and resource-intensive studio shows.

[edit] Darren & Brose

Darren Chau and Brose Avard have contributed numerous comedy shows to Channel 31 over the years. They include The Rumpus Room, their live daily afternoon show Darren & Brose, and Saturday Night Darren & Brose.

[edit] The Bazura Project

The Bazura Project is a movie show featuring film news, feature stories, interviews, and reviews. It is hosted by Shannon Marinko and Lee Zachariah, and began screening on December 7, 2006. It plays every Thursday at 9pm. Previous episodes can be viewed at http://www.bazuraproject.com.

[edit] TheatreGames LIVE

TheatreGames LIVE is a program where a number of actors compete against each other playing improvisation and theatresports games. The show is a complete student production, recorded in the Deakin TV Studios at the Burwood Campus of the University. The show is hosted by Robin Brown and Kat O'Shea. More info on the show can be found at http://www.theatregameslive.com.

[edit] Famous personalities

Noteworthy Australian television personalities who started their television careers on Channel 31 Melbourne include:

Many comedians and performing artists have built up on-camera experience at C31 as guests of shows before moving to mainstream television, including Adam Hills, Mach Pelican and others.

[edit] Sport

C31 covers local soccer on the Victorian Soccer Show including coverage of the Victorian Premier League. In Pit Lane is C31's weekly motor sports program that has run for 11 years.

[edit] External links

[edit] Program Sites

[edit] Other

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ↑ : Channel 31: About Us "Transmitted from Mount Dandenong...reaches homes throughout Melbourne and Geelong... also transmitted via Neighbourhood Cable"
  2. ↑ : [10] (PDF)
  3. ↑ : James Packer, "Chairman's Address", Publishing and Broadcasting Limited Annual General Meeting, 27 October 2005.
  4. ↑ : Channel 31: About Us "...with over 1.3 million Melburnians tuning in each month"
  5. ↑ : Application to the ABA for Melbourne Community Television "From midnight there is a live camera broadcasting...with music by independent artists playing in the background."
  6. ↑ : Application to the ABA for Melbourne Community Television "Fishcam is a very popular and peaceful alternative to late night infomercials."
  7. ↑ : Channel 31's Former Fishcam Webpage (via the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine) "Fishcam is one of Channel 31's most popular and recognised programs to the extent that many people know Channel 31 as 'the fish station'. To our knowledge, there is nowhere in the world where you can switch on your television to watch fish".


Broadcast television in the Melbourne, Victoria market  

ABV-2 (ABC)- HSV-7 (Seven)- GTV-9 (Nine)- ATV-10 (Ten)- SBS-28 (SBS) - MGV-31 (C31)


Channel 31 Melbourne Programs

1700 | Barnaby Flowers A Time to Talk | Barnaby Flowers Comeback Special | The Bazura Project | Chartbusting 80s | Darren & Brose | Fishcam | In Pit Lane | The Loft Live | No Limits | On The Water | Pinoy TV Music Lounge | Pool TV | The Sauce | The Shambles | TheatreGames LIVE
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/h/a/Channel_31_Melbourne_3f43.html"