Where Are Our Extra FTA Digital Channels?
Yesterday may have been the first day of 2009, but it was also the first day the Australian free-to-air TV networks could legally begin broadcasting a second digital SD channel. But here we are, 1.5 days into the new year, and none of the FTA networks have actually made good on their chance to launch a second channel and according to the Australian, aren’t likely to for several more months.
The Oz quotes Foxtel’s Adam Suckling, Director of policy and corporate affairs: “Seven, Nine and Ten have had more than two years to plan and launch one new digital channel each on January 1, 2009… But they have chosen not to do so.” And while this is just another barb in the war of words between FTA and Pay TV in this country, there is a very important point being made here: why haven’t we got extra channels today?
The answer is mostly economics, but if you go back a couple of years to the launch of the FTA HD channels, you’ll also see that there’s sure to be some unhealthy competition between the networks at play here. When HD launched, Ten announced its plans first, then Channel 7 launched their channel a few days before 10’s channel went live so they could claim to be “first”. Channel 9, meanwhile, refused to offer any comment about their plans for fear of letting the other networks know what they were doing. So far, only 10 has announced anything - they’ll be launching a dedicated HD sports channel in April. But expect Seven and Nine to try and pip them at the post.
Of course all of this wouldn’t matter, but for the fact that the networks are “trying” to work together for the FreeView market. Considering they’re already marketing FreeView to have 15 channels, yet that figure includes the new multichannel stations, the networks should really be working together, pro-actively, to try and launch and promote FTA TV. From personal experience, the new FreeView campaign is causing nothing but confusion in the marketplace, judging by the influx of questions I’ve been getting from non-techy friends and family.
Meanwhile, according to the Australian’s article, Foxtel are planning on launching another 20 digital channels this year. Hopefully the majority of them are in HD…
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Comments
Hmm I thought the 15 channels was just a gimmick anyway. I thought they included the channels like Digital 44 and the “Teachers Channel” and the 4 parliament channels that I pick up that just end up annoying me as I have to press the remote down button more times than I should. Then again, 45(NSW TV) is a good time waster on the traffic and surf cams.
Just watching this with interest from the UK. Don’t panic, the four main free-to-air broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and FIVE) took quite a while to get going with their Freeview channels, but they got there in the end and they are watched by the majority of viewers now!
For the record, BBC THREE (targeted at 18-35s) was really late, BBC FOUR (intelligent stuff) was rubbish for quite a while, ITV3 (a “gold” station) was early, but ITV4 (for “blokes”) was late and CITV (for kids) were later too.
Channel 4 side channels E4 (”entertainment”) and Film4 moved from subscription and suddenly had viewers, More4 (factual repeats) and C4+1 came later. FIVE was last with FIVER (repeats) and FIVE US (US drama).
The only channels that got there on day one pre-existed, being BBC News 24, CBBC (Childrens), cBeebies (tots), BBC Parlaiment (yawn), ITV2 (part of the failed ONdigital system), Sky News, Sky Sports News, UKTV History and a many others, now replaced.
So, don’t panic!
Just get foxtel
Wasn’t really expecting much, don’t forget that the FTA networks have been able to multichannel on their HD channels for a while now and the most they can do is provide a few hours of separate programming. I don’t see how they are going to fill a third channel if they can’t even figure out their second.
try living anywhere non-metro. at the moment we have the abc’s and sbs and thats it! thats been ‘it’ for the past 3 years or so, with date for full transmission being pushed back every 6 months or so….. DTV is becoming the biggest wank in aussie history…
Anyone know if the ten sports channel will be available in Canberra, under Southern Cross 10 HD? Because on the Freeview website under Canberra, ONE HD isn’t listed. :(
@blah mate don’t get your hopes up I read on the southern cross web site forum they don’t have the technology in the tamworth and lismore areas and probably more to put on local ads on during hd broadcast. So if they can’t do that they don’t have a hope of giving us country kids he yanky sport.
Just wondering if anyone knows whether the Community TV stations (Channel 31 in Melbourne) will be getting on digital any time soon. Along with the ABC and SBS they actually put on some pretty good programming.
You would think with all the heavy promotion of freeview the networks would have at least put up repeated looped promo’s where the new channels will be, so everyone can scan set them in there TV or Digital Boxes. Channel 7 did this months before 7HD was launched.
There are a lot of people who don’t know how to scan set new channels on there HD TV or Digital Boxes they just bought for Christmas thinking Freeview was starting on January 1st.
At least the networks should advise the public when the channels
will come on, rather than remaining totally silent like they did when launching the HD channels.
Yep, here in Toowoomba we get squat as well. SC10 HD is nothing but High Def demonstrations. On the Eastern side of the city though some people can get Brisbane stations. I can’t :’(
@macboy: Had foxtel once, will never, ever get it again.
Plus they won’t even put cable into my area (outer eastern melb).
As for the lack of extra channels? Our retarded liberals put in a block from any of the FTA channels showing any content on digital channels that was not available on FTA analog. That block ended on the 1st.
One HD is currently running in Sydney.
Also ive been informed that Channel 7 has invested alot of money in Tivo which is why you see alot of adds for Tivo on channel 7.
It may take a while but I cant wait. I heard the gov may sell off the analogue service and offer fox a part in the digital service which is why the 3 main channels are holding off. If the 3 main channels cant make their own new channels why cant they hire out their digital channels to other networks. maybe we could see channels like - ESPN on 7, 7Disney, MTV9, etc.