31 Digital

31 Digital
Launched 31 July 1994
Owned by Briz 31 Ltd
Picture format 576i PAL
Slogan "Your stories... Your station"
Country Australia
Broadcast area Brisbane, Ipswich & surrounding areas
Formerly called QCTV
31 Your Local Television
Briz 31
Website 31.com.au
Availability
Terrestrial
DVB-T 32
Freeview C31 (virtual) 44

31 Digital is a community television station based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, formerly known as 'Briz 31, later as 31 Your Local Television, then as QCTV and more recently as 31 QCTV (Queensland Community Television). Its programming features five locally produced shows and shows produced by other community stations around the country. It is broadcast on UHF channel 31 at 548.224 MHz, from the ABQ-2 transmitter tower on Mount Coot-tha. 31 offers newcomers to the media field an opportunity to gain experience before entering commercial broadcasting. The station also carries a number of programs originally developed at other Channel 31 stations in other states. 31 also broadcasts classic films and television programs, and the best in community made programming and original productions.

After a long time of uncertainty, 31 went digital on 7 June 2010. With the discontinuation of analogue television services the station now broadcasts on 529.500 MHz.

Branding

The station was originally called Briz 31 and began transmission on the 31 analogue bandwidth on 31 July 1994. In November 2008, the station was re-branded as 31 QCTV with the intention to later scrap "QCTV" from the name all together. As the station promised, in April 2010 there was a complete return to the name 31. Due to the station beginning transmission on the new digital channel 44, the station was again rebranded as 31 Digital.

History

Brisbane community television was formed by foundation members Wes Tatters, Ric Adams, Simon Bunker, Ben Morrisson and Cait Spreadborough. The station began broadcasting during a 2 week test transmission in 1992, during the opening of South Bank Parklands. During the broadcast week many different formats produced by the members went to air. Live footage from the opening of South Bank, member produced formats including a variety show On the Bed with Simon and Karen where guests were invite to come and sit on a bed in the studio in their pyjamas and be interviewed by the hosts.

The following two years were spent lobbying the ABA (Australian Broadcasting Authority) for permission to broadcast on a full-time basis and developing a draft funding model for the organisation. At this time there were no licence categories available except the experimental broadcasting category.

The station began broadcasting in the Brisbane area from Vulture Street Studios in July 1994 after an arrangement was struck with Telstra to provide broadcasting facilities on Mount Coot-tha.

In 2007 the station had a major transmitter upgrade, which allowed it to reach another 40% of viewers mainly in Ipswich and the surrounding areas. In March 2010, the station announced it would begin broadcasting in digital by 7 June 2010. In May 2011, the station reported its analogue broadcast would cease on 15 May 2011.

Programming

Programmes produced by the station are as follows:

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Stomping Ground Facebook page

External links

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Coordinates: 27°28′31″S 153°00′27″E / 27.475223°S 153.007396°E