Expect to see this alot in the lead up to the September 25 launch.
7′s Third Digital Channel
The Seven Network today released details of its new digital channel.
It is the first “third channel” to be launched by a commercial television network in Australia.
7mate will launch on 25 September with high definition coverage of the Australian Football League Grand Final and will primarily target men. 7mate will be more than sport, though.
It is the first broadcast television channel to cater for men 16-49 and is designed to complement Seven and 7TWO programming.
Details of 7mate were released today by the Chief Executive Officer of Seven Media Group, David Leckie.
“Seven is Australia’s most-watched network and our suite of multi-channels delivers more viewers than anyone else,” Mr Leckie said. “7mate is the next step in building on our leadership in broadcast television. 7mate is going to be great.
“The launch of 7mate delivers us a tremendous platform of channels targeting specific audience demographics – leveraging our primary channel’s success with women and 7TWO’s targeting of a 25+ adult audience.
“We’re delighted to be the first commercial network to move to three channels. With 7HD we were first into multi-channelling for the commercial networks and this is another significant step for our television business,” Mr Leckie said.
Seven is number 1 on combined multiple channels in 2010. Seven + 7TWO combine to give Seven’s broadcast platform market leadership in primetime and overall across 6:00am-midnight across the current television year.
Seven is also number 1 on primary channels. Seven is number 1 for total viewers in primetime and overall across the 6:00am-midnight broadcast day in the current television year.
7mate is designed to build on this leadership.
Commenting, Seven’s Director of Programming and Production, Tim Worner, said “We’re using the biggest sports event to launch 7mate but this new channel will be so much more than sport. We are after the most elusive demographic in media and we think we’ve got the offering to get them.”
New episodes of FAMILY GUY, AMERICAN DAD, PARKS AND RECREATION and LAST COMIC STANDING will lead the primetime comedy schedule. 3O ROCK, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, THAT 70’S SHOW, SCRUBS and CRANK YANKERS round out the laughs.
New drama will include the sci-fi series CAPRICA and the adventure series WAREHOUSE 13 and STARGATE ATLANTIS.
The reality slate will feature US ratings hits JERSEY SHORE and PAWN STARS, along with popular MTV series PUNK’D and GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS, featuring the controversial KISS guitarist and his LA-based family, and MONSTER GARAGE with Jesse G. James.
Factual on 7mate will see series such as FIFTH GEAR, THE UNIVERSE, LIFE AFTER PEOPLE, THE BONEYARD, AX MEN, JACKED: AUTO THEFT TASKFORCE, MEGA MOVERS, MEGA STRUCTURES, AIR CRASH INVESTIGATIONS and SHOCKWAVE in primetime.
7mate will also be the home for first-run big movies for the blokes, including THE RINGER, STRANGERS and PRIMEVAL. Mr Worner said: “The channel is not designed to alienate female viewers. On the contrary we will be launching several initiatives that will see the female audience watching 7mate as well.”
To receive 7mate from 25 September, you will need to tune into channel 73 on an HD capable Digital TV, PVR or set top box. If you have an analogue television you will need to connect your old TV to an HD capable Digital set top box, PVR, or Digital recorder and tune in to channel 73.
Seven is the first of the commercials to offer three different programs at the same time albeit for only one hour per week in Sydney (and Brisbane according to TV guide on Yahoo).
At Sunday (April 18) at 10am, Seven Sydney was showing a documentary called the Bone Yard (about old planes that have been decommissioned), while 7TWO were showing their usual Sunday morning children’s programming. 7HD was showing AFL Game Day – which can be seen on Seven’s main channel in the AFL states.
That meant – that for one hour – the Seven network in fact showed three different programs at once thus demonstrating that the network is technically ready to run three channels. At the same time, though, PRIME NSW were showing AFL Game Day on both their main and HD channel, with the Bone Yard documentary following. 7TWO on Prime of course, showed the same as 7TWO from Sydney.
If you weren’t flicking channels at the time, or referring to internet TV guides, you would not know, as the printed guides certainly make no mention of the variation of programming on 7HD for that hour. Only some internet TV guides showed this programming. Maybe some EPGs may have, although at our place, 7HD’s EPG showed the Bone Yard.
Prior to digital channels GO and 7TWO, both Seven and Nine used to use their HD channels to broadcast, not only break away programming, but AFL content into NRL states and sometimes, vice versa. In the case of Nine Sydney for example, this meant you could chose whether to watch the NRL Footy show on the main channel or the AFL Footy show on 9HD. 9HD also carried Footy Classified at the same time as Melbourne airs the show at 10.30 Mondays.
Many viewers – mostly AFL fans in northern states have complained as to why the AFL shows cannot be shown live into NRL markets now that we have digital multi channelling. Back when GO launched in August 2009, Nine stated that they were technically unable show content on 9HD and would not consider using GO to show the opposing Footy Shows. They further said that the problem would be resolved some time in 2010 when they would be technically able to broadcast three shows at once on their digital platform.
Now we are almost half way into 2010, we know for sure that Nine will be launching a third channel this year, as will Ten. While the content of the new Nine channel is not yet revealed (most likely still in planning) there is the possibility that the channel could carry AFL and NRL programming into their opposing states. Given that their will soon be a second Sydney AFL team and the AFL are trying to grow the sports’ northern fan base, it would make sense to offer northern AFL fans AFL programming at the same time it is seen in the AFL states by using the new channel. This would surely be better than having late night replays as is the case now.
As for Seven, there has been the suggestion that they will launch a third channel; in 2010, but, like was the case leading up to 7TWO’s surprise launch late last year, Seven have not confirmed or even stated anything in relation to their plans.
That one hour on Sunday morning, however, demonstrates that Seven are capable of broadcasting three shows at once and makes the network the first of the commercials to broadcast three different programs at once. Ten have also confirmed they are technically ready for their third channel to launch later in 2010.
Due to the fact that each network is only able to have 2 standard and one high definition channel, both Seven and Nine’s third channels will take over their HD channel, while Ten’s third channel will replace the standard definition simulcast of ONE HD.
It’s amazing to think that this time last year – just 12 months ago – multi channelling in Australia was limited to just ABC2, SBS NEWS and part time HD break aways from Seven, Nine and Ten. The SBS NEWS channel essentially played nothing more than non stop foreign news bulletins – the same news shown now on SBS ONE and TWO. The number of free to air channels was 7 full time and 3 part time channels.
In the last 12 months, we have seen Ten launch ONE HD, SBS switch from SBS NEWS to SBS TWO, Nine launch GO – the most successful multi-channel to date, and Seven launch 7TWO. In December, the ABC launched their 3rd channel ABC3. The channel count now is 11 full time channels.
In 2010, we will see more channels added. ABC last month announced their decision to launch a 24 hour news service using the ABC HD signal, while both Nine and Ten announced new channels as part of their 2010 programming package. Seven, when 7TWO was launched made a vague indication to the prospect of a 3rd channel but nothing more has been said.
ABC’s new news channel (which I’ll call ABC4 for now – the name may end up being ABC NEWS or NEWS TV (like they already have News Radio)) will be the 4th full time channel for the ABC, but it will come at the expense of ABC HD – which currently is a full time simulcast of ABC1 allowing a few shows to be seen in HD.
Both Nine and Ten are well into their plans for their respective third channels, but neither will be up and running prior to June 30. Now, it has come out that SBS are also looking into a 3rd channel (I’ll call it SBS THREE for now) which would be news based. That would mean that both the ABC and SBS would offer free to air full time news channels.
Assuming that Seven also launches a third channel in 2010 (and why wouldn’t they if arch rival Nine do, and Ten have one up as well), the total number of free to air digital channels will be 16 by the end of the year – with all 5 free to air networks having 3 channels, other than the ABC with 4.
Add to that, community TV which starts going digital in March (in Sydney, it will be digital channel 44), then some people will have 17 free to air digital channels.
Both the Seven network and Nine network are working towards having a third digital channel on the air in 2010. The Ten network has already confirmed that they will have a third channel on the air by October 2010.
With the launch of GO in August and 7TWO in November this year, both Nine and Seven ceased offering any alternative HD content. Nine’s reason was due to technical limitations that would not be resolved until 2010.
Prior to the launch of the two second channels, both 9HD and 7HD offered break away programming for many hours of the day. As for Ten, ONE HD spelt the end of any shows on the network other than sports being in HD.
The third channel for Nine and Seven would be an HD channel assuming that their main channels and GO and 7TWO remained in standard definition. Each commercial network is allowed one HD and two SD digital channels.
Ten’s third channel would replace ONE HD’s SD simulcast and content is most likely going to be general entertainment like 7TWO and GO.
Meanwhile, many regional areas still do not have the three second channels – 7TWO, GO and ONE.
Source: Media Spy
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