GO! (Australian TV channel

This page is about the Australian Television Channel, for other uses, see Go.

GO!
Launched 9 August 2009
Network Nine Network
Owned by Nine Entertainment Company
Picture format PAL (576i) 16:9
Audience share 3.8% nationally (2010 ratings season, [1])
Slogan GO For It!
Country Australia
Language English
Broadcast area Sydney,
Melbourne,
Brisbane,
Adelaide,
Perth,
Regional QLD,
Southern New South Wales,
Regional Victoria,
Tasmania,
Northern New South Wales,
Eastern South Australia,
Southeast South Australia,
Riverland South Australia,
Riverina M.I.A. New South Wales
Replaced Nine Guide (2001–2008)
Sister channel(s) Nine
GEM
Website go.ninemsn.com.au
Availability
Terrestrial
TCN Sydney (DVB-T) 1059 @ 8 (191.5 MHz)[2]
GTV Melbourne (DVB-T) 1074 @ 8 (191.5 MHz)
QTQ Brisbane/Sunshine Coast (DVB-T) 1030 @ 8 (191.5 MHz)
NWS Adelaide (DVB-T) 1106 @ 8 (191.5 MHz)
STW Perth/Mandurah (DVB-T) 1026 @ 8 (191.5 MHz)
Freeview Nine metro (virtual) 99
Freeview WIN/NBN/SCA regional (virtual) 88
Freeview Imparja regional (virtual) 99
Satellite
Foxtel (virtual) 139
Austar (virtual) 99
VAST (virtual) 99 or 88
Cable
Foxtel/Optus (virtual) 129
Austar (virtual) 99

GO! is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 9 August 2009.[3][4] It is an entertainment channel aimed at 14–39-year-olds.[5]

History

Origins

GO!'s original concept logo
2009–2014 logo

The general concept for GO! was revealed on 23 March 2009, with the Nine Network announcing their intention to start a standard definition variety-based multichannel, launched mid-way through 2009. The channel's name and branding was first revealed as GO!99 on 14 April 2009 by TV Tonight, a blog dedicated to Australian television.[6]

The channel's name was confirmed by the Nine Network via A Current Affair as GO! on 15 July 2009,[7] as well as multi-coloured logo variations.[3][7]

The channel went to air at 1:00 pm on 5 August 2009, broadcasting a promo loop. GO! officially began broadcasting scheduled programming from 9 August 2009 at 6:30 pm with a 1 minute promo featuring the song GO! by Noise International.[8] It was then followed by an episode of Wipeout, the first programme to air on the new channel.[9] The Nine Network's regional affiliates, WIN Television and NBN Television, also launched GO! on 9 August 2009, on Channel 88. Darwin received the channel in October 2010 (over a year after other capital cities started transmitting the multi channel). From December 2010, Nine Network affiliate Imparja Television commenced transmission of the GO! channel to viewers in remote areas of Central, Northern and Eastern Australia.[10] before expanding to Eastern South Australia on 11 November 2011 There have been reports that GO!'s technical launch had caused a significant number of digital TV receivers to no longer pick up Nine's digital channels. Nine have established a helpline for viewers experiencing problems or requiring assistance to tune in to the new channel.[11]

Les Sampson, Nine's Network Director of Multichannels, describes GO! as a "work in progress". He states that in future the channel will expand its current programming blocks, introduce "stunt" programming such as series marathons, and produce and broadcast interstitials such as fashion updates, beach report updates, and bar and restaurant reviews between programmes starring new on-air talent.[12][13]

1st birthday

GO! celebrated its birthday by airing movies every night during the month of August 2010. GO! also played a mini clip during the commercial breaks thanking everyone for watching GO!.

Relaunch

On 2 February 2014, GO! received a new logo and the on-air presentation graphics were updated by creative company DD8.

Programming

Original plans for GO! suggested it would consist of a mix of entertainment and lifestyle programming (this rule wasn't featured until the launch of future Female-oriented HD channel GEM in 2010).[14][15] However, this branding was replaced by a youth-orientated light-entertainment channel instead.[16] Go!'s programming is generally structured under nightly themed blocks,[17] which currently consists of comedy on Sunday, all new reality shows on Tuesday, sci-fi on Wednesday, female-skewed drama on Thursday (until the launch of GEM, when it is replaced by Movies themings instead), and movies on Friday.[17] Movies will screen with "limited and brief commercial breaks".[13] The schedule is designed not to cannibalise viewers from the main Nine channel.[12]

It was announced in June 2009 that the Nine Network had signed a $500 million deal with Warner Bros. to continue its current output deal for another five years from 2011 to 2015.[18][19] The deal helped Nine retain existing content (including many television series and films), as well as providing new content for both its primary channel, GEM (launched in 2010) and Go!.[18][19] The network also has ongoing content deals with Columbia Pictures and Village Roadshow,[18][19] and has secured a new content partnership with MTV Networks.[20]

Feature classic films broadcast on Go! are sourced from its studio-output deals, including: DreamWorks, DreamWorks Animation (old films), Lions Gate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures (old films) and Warner Bros..

News

Leading up to the ad break, GO! airs replays of Nine's Newsbreak that air on the main Nine channel and from GEM. All newsbreaks are broadcast across any state. During 2010/11, GO! aired Newsbursts.

Sports

The NRL is shown on GO! in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania on Friday nights when the cricket is scheduled on GEM.

Current

Previous

Coming soon

References

  1. ↑ Knox, David (29 November 2009). "Birth for a Nation". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
  2. ↑ http://www.freetv.com.au/media/Engineering/Australian_Digital_Terrestrial_Television_Broadcasting_Service_Information_Register_-_Issue_4_-_January_2011.pdf
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Nine announces new TV channel". ninemsn. 15 July 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  4. ↑ Knox, David (24 July 2009). "Nine releases GO! schedule". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  5. ↑ http://freeview.com.au/channels/view.aspx?channelId=54
  6. ↑ Knox, David (14 April 2009). "GO!99 for entertainment?". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Knox, David (15 July 2009). "Nine confirms GO!99". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  8. ↑ "Exclusive: Channel GO! promo song". tvauscast.com. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  9. ↑ Knox, David (29 July 2009). "Go Adjusts Launch Time". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  10. ↑ http://www.imparja.com/images/stories/switchons/imparja%5C%27s%20plans%20for%20digital%20broadcasting.pdf
  11. ↑ Moses, Asher (7 August 2009). "Nine flicks the Go! switch and everything fades to black". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Knox, David (5 August 2009). "Survivors ready? Go!". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Knox, David (5 September 2009). "October 4th: All systems Go!". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  14. ↑ Sinclair, Lara (23 March 2009). "David Gyngell confirms plans for digital". The Australian. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  15. ↑ Knox, David (23 March 2009). "Nine to launch 'entertainment channel'". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  16. ↑ Knox, David (20 June 2009). "Nine introduces youth channel: Go!". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Knox, David (23 July 2009). "More details ready to Go!". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Knox, David (22 June 2009). "Warner deal helps build GO! for Nine". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Guider, Elizabeth; Bulbeck, Pip (21 June 2009). "Nine, Warners renew pact". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  20. ↑ Knox, David (16 September 2009). "Curb, Wire & Weeds set to GO!". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2009.

External links