List of Australian television channels

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This article describes, in detail, all of the Australian television channels.

Contents

[edit] Public Broadcasters

Australia has two (and a 'half') national public broadcasters, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Special Broadcasting Service (better known as SBS), and the commercial (although partially government-owned) indigenous station Imparja.

[edit] ABC

[edit] ABC TV

ABC TV carries a variety of locally produced news, current affairs, and sports coverage, as well as Australian arts and comedy programming. The ABC is also well known for broadcasting British programming, primarily from the BBC and Channel 4.

[edit] ABC2

On March 7, 2005, the ABC launched a second, digital-only channel named ABC2, aimed at providing 'more choice, more often'. At the start, the channel mainly provided repeats of popular ABC TV productions, such as Australian Story and repeats of Stateline, and was subjected (by law) to genre restrictions, however since the removal of these restrictions the channel's content has been broadened considerably.

[edit] SBS

The Special Broadcasting Service was founded to cater for the roughly 1/3 of Australians that don't speak English in the home, aiming to complement the ABC.

SBS has in recent years moved away from this audience, preferring instead to target a broader-based section of the Australian community. This was in part because of the emergence of pay-TV channels broadcasting entirely in ethnic minority languages, which are better placed to cater for such audiences, similar to Channel 4 in the UK.It was always difficult to cater to such a diverse audience as no one language (other than English) has a large proportion of speakers. SBS also owns a share in the World Movies Channel.

SBS shows many non-English language films with English subtitles, and each morning shows news bulletins from around the world. It also has a lot of English-language PBS, Arte, BBC and CBC documentaries, and Comedy Central comedy. Acquired entertainment programs includes the US animated series South Park and the US version of Queer as Folk. It broadcasts the nightly World News in English, and makes other current affairs programs such as Dateline. SBS also commissions documentaries, co-produced with other broadcasters, movies and comedy programs. In the sporting field, it often screens soccer, cycling and athletics. It also screens more opera and classical music programs than the other free-to-air networks.

SBS is also one of the few networks who regularly shows nudity, and has been frequently ridiculed for it by sketch shows such as Fast Forward and Big Bite. In 2004 the popular satire CNNNN reported that SBS ratings were "set to soar after debut of nude soccer".

[edit] SBS World News Channel

SBS has been one of the more progressive networks in relation to digital television in Australia, and has operated the World News Channel since June 2002. The channel shows a range of news bulletins in languages other than English including Indonesian, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Arabic, and German, amongst others.

[edit] Imparja

The "half" is Imparja. Imparja is owned by governments of various kinds, including the Commonwealth of Australia. Its main channel (known as Imparja) is a commercial station affiliated with Nine and Ten, but it also produces some of its own programs. This makes it a bit like S4C, although Imparja doesn't have S4C's strong alternative language focus.

Imparja also has a second channel which is used for community broadcasting. Many indigenous community broadcasters broadcast Imparja developed material, and content also flows back the other way.

NIRS (the peak Indigenous radio group), is lobbying the government to start a new, nationwide indigenous TV network. No major political party has championed this cause however. Imparja has stated a desire to run such a network, at least within its licence area (Source).

In 2005 the federal Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) considered funding such a station. Public submissions into this inquiry are available on its website.

After deliberation, DCITA decided not to establish such a network, but to fund additional indigenous programming for screening on Imparja's community service and community TV licencees. (Source).

[edit] Westlink

Westlink is available to satellite users throughout Australia, and is rebroadcast terrestrially in Bunbury and Albany. It is a WA state government funded station primarily used for educational purposes but also for teleconferencing, training and corporate services (Source). During weekends and on Thursday nights Perth's Access 31 community channel is simulcast on Westlink (Source).

[edit] Commercial stations

For the purposes of commercial television, Australia has been divided into market regions.

In the 1950s, each major city or regional area - about 50 in all - was its own market region. Three licenses were granted in each of the five major capitals (the exception being Perth which did not receive its third commercial station until 1988[1]). Each smaller city or region was granted one license.

Between 1989 and 1994,[2] regional television aggregation occurred. Regional markets were merged into one and (usually) three licenses were granted in the new aggregated area. As some markets were formed by the merger of up to six different individual markets, this meant that some stations had to merge or form partnerships in order to remain competitive. Around the same time, many remote market regions were replaced with two satellite market regions - one for Western Australia, and one for central and eastern Australia - although each of these regions was only granted two licenses.

The markets that remained un-aggregated, are today known as diary markets.[3] Some of these were granted a second license, often to the same company that owned the existing license. Some existing two-license areas were also granted a third license, to a joint venture company formed as a partnership of the two existing broadcasters.

[edit] Commercial networks

There are three main commercial networks in Australia:

In the five major capital cities, the stations use these names. They are also used in some rural and remote areas.

In other areas, there are stations who contain just as much network programming as these stations, but use different names. In a few areas there are less than three commercial broadcasters, and these three feeds find themselves on two stations.

Most of the commercial stations in the major capitals are owned by the same company that owns the network, and most rural and regional stations are owned by different companies. However, this rule is not absolute (as can be seen in the table below).

[edit] Regional and remote commercial networks

Regional and remote on-air names include:

Most stations using these names are clear extensions of the three major networks, and their on-air graphics usually make this very clear. Stations in the two channel markets generally look very much like one of the major commercial networks, with a few programs from one or two others thrown in.

As with the major metro stations, local content is usually only in the form of a nightly news program and advertising. Some stations import all their "local" news though, and some have a lot more local programming, like NBN.

[edit] Station ownership

Companies that own one or more commercial television station in Australia include:

Ownership and network affiliation do not necessarily align; see the table below for the relationships between stations. Markets served are shown by row; programming affiliation is shown by column; on-air name is shown in the body of the table, along with station ownership in brackets.


Region
Sub-markets		 ABC TV Seven Nine Ten
Sydney
Metropolitan area (includes Central Coast and Katoomba)
(ABC TV)
(Seven)
(PBL)
(Ten)
Northern NSW
Newcastle, Central Coast, Taree,
Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Tamworth, Gold Coast (Qld)5
(ABC TV)
(Prime)
(NBN)
(SCB)
Southern NSW
Wollongong, Canberra (ACT), Dubbo, Orange, Wagga Wagga
(ABC TV)
(Prime)
(WIN)
(SCB)
Griffith (NSW) 12
(ABC TV)
(WIN)
(WIN)
Melbourne
Metropolitan area (includes Geelong)
(ABC TV)
(Seven)
(PBL)
(Ten)
Regional Vic
Albury/Wodonga, Shepparton, Ballarat, Bendigo, Gippsland
(ABC TV)
(Prime)
(WIN)
(SCB)
Mildura (Vic/NSW) 2
(ABC TV)
(Prime)'
(WIN)
(Prime/WIN)
Brisbane6
Metropolitan area (includes Gold Coast and southern Sunshine Coast)
(ABC TV)
(Seven)
(PBL)
(Ten)
Regional Qld
Maroochydore, Noosa, Caboolture, Toowoomba, Mackay, Cairns, Townsville
(ABC TV)
(Seven)
(WIN)
(SCB)
Perth
Metropolitan area
(ABC TV)
(Seven)
(Sunraysia)
(Ten)
Regional WA
(Includes Christmas Island & Cocos (Keeling) Island)3
(ABC TV)
(Prime)
(WIN)
Adelaide
Metropolitan area (includes Murray Bridge)
(ABC TV)
(Seven)
(SCB)
(Ten)
Regional SA
Spencer Gulf, Broken Hill (NSW)1 2
(ABC TV)
(SCB)
(SCB)
Regional SA
Mt Gambier, Riverland 1 2
(ABC TV)
(WIN)
(WIN)
Tasmania
Hobart, Launceston 4
(ABC TV)
(SCB)
(WIN)
(SCB/WIN)
Darwin 6
(ABC TV)
(SCB)
(PBL)
(SCB)
Remote Central & Eastern Australia
(Includes Alice Springs, Mt Isa, Norfolk Island and various other remote parts of NSW, Vic, Qld, SA, Tas and NT.)3
(ABC TV)
(SCB)
(Imparja)

1 One company has a monopoly in this area, as ACMA believes it cannot support more than one commercial television company, but it can support two commercial TV stations.

2 This rural area was not aggregated during the early nineties, unlike most rural areas. This status is now primarily of historic significance.

3 Transmission is via satellite for remote areas, and via terrestrial broadcast for more developed areas.

4 Tasmanian Digital Television (TDT), a digital only station, began broadcasting in December 2003. Southern Cross, as the former sole broadcaster of Seven and Ten programming in the state, has retained significant Ten programming for the benefit of analogue only viewers. It is expected to align fully with Seven once digital television receivers are common enough that significant advertising revenues can be made via the platform.

5 While there are a couple of areas where viewers can receive programs from more than one licence area (like the NSW Central Coast), the Gold Coast is a special case. It is the only place where there are overlapping multi-channel commercial TV licence areas. Two sets of commercial stations produce dedicated feeds for the region. Nine goes so far as to produce a special Gold Coast news service, available only in the area. Similarly, Foxtel and Austar compete here, again the only such place in the country.

6 Applications are, as of 2006, open for an additional digital-only channel. This channel is expected to be a Network Ten affiliate.

[edit] Datacast channels

Datacasting is currently being tested in Sydney using one of the reserved digital spectrum positions. Operated by Broadcast Australia, the service is being tested for a 3 year period, before being reviewed.

[edit] Subscription Television

For More Information see: Australian subscription television services

[edit] Major Providers

The three major providers in Subscription Television for Australia carry a common service, however each have a number of differences. Foxtel currently 'controls' the common service that Austar and Optus resell. The service is known as the Foxtel Platform.

Austar broadcasts into all of regional Australia (except Western Australia), Hobart and Darwin. Foxtel broadcasts in all capital cities (except Hobart and Darwin), the Gold Coast, the Central Coast and southern rural Western Australia. Optus Television operates only in the small parts of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide where it has laid cable.

[edit] Other Providers

[edit] Localised

[edit] National

  • UBI World TV - major non-English language service.
  • Pan Global TV - major non-English language and Christian channel platform.
  • SelecTV - emerging English and other language service.

There are also a number of other services that target specific language speaking groups.

[edit] Cable and satellite channels

[edit] Community stations

Most major cities have a local community station, owned by a local not-for-profit organisation. They are usually collectively known as Channel 31 because most of them transmit on that frequency.

Current stations include:

And dozens of ex-BRACS stations throughout remote Australia.

Aspirant groups in places including Bendigo, Ballarat, Victor Harbour/Goolwa and Hobart have so far unsuccessfully applied for licences. (Source)

Other groups include "Hunter Community TV" in Newcastle, "Illawarra Community TV" in Wollongong, "WARP TV" in Bathurst and "Queanbeyan Canberra TV". All these groups air material on "Satellite Community TV", WARP also on TVS.

Stations without a Community licence, but with a similar format include:

and the Narrowcast TV stations.

Community television content is also increasingly being made available exclusively online, Blue Mountains TV-on-the-web being a notable example.

[edit] Narrowcast stations

Two open narrowcast TV stations are currently operating.

Additionally, a similar channel under a different licencing regime is:

  • TV Norfolk Norfolk Island

[edit] Amateur stations

The Australian amateur radio bands include frequencies standard TVs can receive. A few hardcore amateur radio operators make use of this by broadcasting video.

The Amateur Television frequency allocation is roughly where Channel 16 can be found (for simplicity we shall refer henceforth to ATV transmissions as being on Channel 16). Channel 16 is usually used for ATV transmissions. Sometimes other frequencies are used, especially those used by satellite TV services. Most transmissions can be viewed and heard on a standard TV, but some transmissions require additional or other equipment.

A full list of Amateur TV repeaters can be found here.

[edit] New South Wales

Television Gladesville (VK2TVG) in Sydney conducts three test transmissions per week on Channel 16, including a three hour live to air program on Wednesday nights.

The Central Coast Amateur Radio Club also has an ATV repeater (VK2RTG) on Channel 16.

VK2RFM is another Sydney repeater located at Oakdale. They use a variety of frequencies, including Channel 16.

VK2RTS broadcasts a good signal from Springwood on 16.

UHF TV Channel 35 was used until July 2001 when the Australian Communications and Media Authority reassigned the channel for digital television.

[edit] Victoria

VK3PB's ATV Logo
VK3PB's ATV Logo

VK3RTV is Melbourne's main amateur transmitter/repeater. It can be found on Channel 16 at the lower end of the UHF TV Band (below channel 28). The ATV repeater is located on Mt Dandenong, and broadcasts something most nights after 8pm.

There are a small number of Amateur Television Enthusiasts (Amateur Radio Operators with Television transmitting equipment) who transmit to Melbourne and surrounds via VK3RTV.

These include VK3AAZ,VK3AOB,VK3AGJ,VK3BFG,VK3BCU,VK3FMD,VK3GMZ, VK3JDA,VK3JDG,VK3KBL,VK3KHB, VK3KOS,VK3LA, VK3MN,VK3PB,VK3TMS,VK3TVZ,VK3XOK,VK3XKD and VK3XZA.

The only regular scheduled tv programming on VK3RTV is Astronomy Talk on Friday nights at 10 PM - this is a retransmission of the audio from the Astronomy Club Net with various visual additions provided by Gary VK3KHB in Thomastown.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://televisionau.siv.net.au/eighties.htm
  2. ^ http://televisionau.siv.net.au/nineties.htm
  3. ^ http://www.regionaltvmarketing.com.au/

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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