One of our lowest rating digital channels is having a make over of sorts in an attempt to attract a younger audience and hopefully a better position in the free to air ratings game.
From Monday (April 1, 2013), SBS TWO introduces a new programming strategy aimed at younger viewers rather than simply being a channel that replays SBS ONE material months later than first aired on the main channel or foreign movies. Continue reading »
Just when you thought it was safe to watch free to air TV live without being bombarded with ads reminding you of what free to air TV is and why you should keep on watching it, FreeView are about to hit us with a new campaign spruiking “the best things in life are free” – or – in other words, the best TV you can watch is free.
Updated March 28, 2013
Here is the list of digital channels updated as at March 28, 2013. All channels in SD (standard definition), unless otherwise stated.
ABC
ABC1 – 2 & 21
ABC2 – 22
ABC3 – 23
ABC News 24 – 24 (HD Channel). Also on 20 is some areas.
ABC HD channel 20 phased out to make way for ABC News 24 on channel 24.
SBS
SBS ONE – 3 & 31
SBS TWO – 32
SBS ONE HD – 30 (HD Channel, simulcast of SBS ONE)
SBS also transmits channels 33 and 34 (until early December 2012) which are clones of SBS ONE
NITV – 34 from December 12, 2012
Seven
Seven – 7, 70 & 71
7TWO – 72
7mate – 73 (HD Channel)
7HD that used to be on 70 no longer exists.
74 – TV 4ME – Information / infomercial / paid program channel
Nine
Nine – 9
GO! – 99
GEM - 90 (HD Channel)
GEM replaced 9HD or Nine High Def ch 90.
Extra – 94 – Information / Infomercial / paid programming channel from March 26, 2012
Extra2 – 95 – appeared as part of Nine’s digital channel matrix March 28, 2013. So far, as I can only say it is the Sydney market only.
Ten
Ten – 10
ELEVEN – 11
ONE – 12 & 1
SD simulcast of ONE formerly on ch 12 was dropped to make way for ELEVEN
TVSN – Channel 14 (Home Shopping)
Community
Ch 31, TVS and the like now digital in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth on digital ch 44
Special / part time
TV 4ME – Essentially 24 hour infomercial channel launched December 2011 on channel 74 in 5 metro and regional QLD, part of Seven’s multi-plex
Extra – Essentially 24 hour infomercial channel launching March 26 2012 on channel 94 in at least the 3 eastern state capitals, part of Nine’s multi-plex
3D Channel – 40 (HD, used only for 3D trials in 2010, not currently on the air)
3D Channel – 95 (HD, used for London Olympics daily 3D highlights during the 2012 Olympics)
Extra2 – 95 – appeared March 28 (Sydney market).
Regional (eastern states).
Prime
Prime Main Channel – 6, 60 & 61
7TWO on Prime – 62
7mate on Prime – 63 (HD Channel)
Prime HD channel 60 no longer exists. Note: 7mate on ch 60 in some markets.
64 – TV 4ME. Regional NSW, VIC, ACT. Essentially same as 74.
NBN/WIN
Main Channel – 8
GO! – 88
GEM - 80 (HD Channel)
Extra – 84
SC10
SC10 Main channel – 5
ONE HD – 50 (HD channel).
Eleven – 55
Special
Television 4 / TV 4ME – 64. Launched September 18, 2011. Only those who are in Prime markets will get this channel.
Extra – 24 hour infomercial channel launched March 26 2012 on channel 84. Known as WIN GOLD in WIN markets.
Digital channel summary.
Main channels
Nine – 9.
Seven – 7, 70 & 71
Ten – 10
ABC1 – 2 & 21
SBS ONE – 3 & 31. Available in HD on ch 30.
Digital Channels (in launch order)
ABC2 – 22 Launched 2007
ONE – 1 & 11 (at the time, now 1 & 12) Launched March 27, 2009
SBS TWO – 32 Launched June 1, 2009 (replacing SBS News channel)
GO! – 99 Launched August 9, 2009
7TWO – 72 Launched November 1, 2009
ABC3 – 23 Launched December 3, 2009
ABC News 24 – 24 Launched July 22, 2010
7mate – 73 Launched September 25, 2010
GEM – 90 Launched September 26, 2010
ELEVEN – 11 Launched January 11, 2011
Community – 44 Various dates for various mator markets
TV4 – 74 – Launch December 2011. Five city metro and regional QLD
Extra – 94 – from March 26, 2012 – Syd / Melb / Bris
TVSN – 14 – September 24, 2012. Metro markets only
NITV – 34 – December 12, 2012.
Extra2 – 95 – from March 28, 2013 (Sydney market only so far – subject to confirmation from other markets).
Still to come:
SBS THREE – 33 – possible for late 2013 / 2014.
Regional (NSW, VIC, ACT)
Main channels
WIN, NBN - 8.
Prime - 6, 60 & 61
SC10 - 5, 55
ABC1 – 2 & 21
SBS ONE – 3 & 31. Available in HD on ch 30.
Digital Channels
ABC2 – 22
ONE - 50
SBS TWO – 32
GO! - 88
7TWO – 62
ABC3 – 23
ABC News 24 – 24
7mate – 63
GEM – 80
ELEVEN – 55
TV4 – 64 Launched September 18, 2011. Prime regional markets only. Read more here.
Extra – 84 from March 26. NBN regionals, can’t confirm WIN at this point.
Tomorrow (Monday October 31) as the world’s population ticks over to seven billion SBS will follow suit, updating its logo to “Seven Billion Stories and Counting”.
The rebranding of SBS television, radio and online will feature a new animated advertising campaign “The Birth of the 7th Billion Story‟ which celebrates the world population reaching seven billion.
The SBS logo has been Six Billion Stories for the past three years and the new look is one of the first initiatives of the new managing director Michael Ebeid, who is facing severe budgetary pressures and a dispute with staff over pay rises.
The campaign is an exclusive partnership with the United Nations Population Fund campaign, called “7 Billion Actions”, which is a program to raise awareness and encourage action to address key world issues associated with population growth: poverty and inequality; women and girls; young people; reproductive health and rights; environment; ageing; and urbanisation.
“Since launching “Six Billion Stories and counting…” three years ago, audiences now view SBS as braver, creative, relevant, and intelligent. As a true multi-platform broadcaster we are well positioned for the changes taking place in the media marketplace with a brand that is built to last.
“As we mark the change to seven billion people on our planet, we’re updating our famous line and reminding Australians that SBS is still the only broadcaster with both the purpose and capacity to tell the stories of the whole world.”
The Seven Billion Stories campaign will be translated into three languages for SBS TV (Arabic, Dinka – the language of the world’s newest nation South Sudan and the Aboriginal language of Yolngu Matha – the language of the Arnhem Land region) and 15 languages for SBS Radio.
The update will also include a 15-second TVC featuring the initiatives of the “7 Billion Actions” program, an in-language radio campaign, a digital campaign across www.sbs.com.au, social media via Facebook, Twitter and SBS blogs.
Source: The Australian
And where to go to avoid the Royal Wedding other than going out, hiring a DVD or watching content from other sources?
While plenty of channels are covering the Royal Wedding there are still a few not affected by it. Not to mention the fact that Friday night football also airs as usual in its respective markets.
Here’s the run-down (free to air only*):
Sport:
Sydney & Brisbane only: NRL on Nine airs from 8.30pm with the Canterbury Bulldogs playing the Brisbane Broncos at 8.30pm and South Sydney Rabbitohs taking on Cronulla Sharks at 10.30pm
AFL: Sydney vs. Carlton play, and it airs on Seven from 7.30pm in Melbourne and Adelaide, 8pm in Perth. Sydney and Brisbane viewers can see the game on 7mate from 7.30pm.
ONE HD: The NBL Grand Final Game 3 airs from 5.30pm eastern with the NZ Breakers against the Cairns Taipans. WWE experience is at 8pm, UFC Jake Sheilds Special at 9pm, then UFC Prime time at 10pm. Based on Sydney times, other time zones check local guides.
Business as usual:
On GO!, its your typical Friday night with a Scooby Doo movie at 6pm, then The Benchwarmers at 7.30pm, followed by Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey from 9.15pm.
ELEVEN has its usual programming for the night with So You Think You Can Dance at 7.30pm, followed by Sex and the City from 9.30pm.
ABC3, SBS ONE and SBS TWO all feature regular Friday night programming, while ABC News 24 shows as regular programming as well, but the news will undoubtably be dominated with the Wedding. Regular programming also remains on 7TWO in NSW and QLD.
And, with the Chaser’s Commentary now pulled, ABC2 will has two hours of The Chasers War on Everything from 8.30pm. The Royale Family at 7.30pm.
Throng TV Spotlight Friday April 29.
*Obviously on Pay TV, those channels not covering the wedding will air what they usually do.
2009 was the year the second digital channels launched: ONE HD, SBS TWO replacing SBS News, GO!, 7TWO and ABC’s third channel ABC3.
2010 was the year we saw the HD main channel simulcasts of ABC1, Seven and Nine given up to make way for even more digital channels – none of which could be described as an ideal use of each network’s available HD stream.
In 2011, the only new channel that we know for sure will be launched is ELEVEN.
Will there be any more free to air channels or have we reached as far as it will go prior to the switch off of analogue in 2014?
When ELEVEN launches, there will in fact be 15 distinct free to air digital channels (plus community TV in some areas).
Seven, Nine and Ten are currently only allowed to provide two standard definition channels and one high definition channel. The ABC are able to have one extra standard definition channel than the commercials, while SBS remain the only network with an HD channel that simulcasts their main channel.
What the ABC are doing with three standard definition channels and one high definition channel is the most you can get out of the current available bandwidth to each network – although some would argue that even this is pushing it too far and the quality of each of the individual channels within the multiplex are poor.
But it stands to reason, that if the ABC can have four channels, with one being HD, why can’t the others? Technically they can, but it does come down to licensing. The only way we would see more channels comes out of Seven, Nine or Ten would be if licensing conditions changed to allow them to do the same as the ABC.
In talks relating to the anti-siphoning list during 2010, the suggestion was raised of the commercial networks being allowed to have a 4th digital channel to help cover more sporting broadcasts without sacrificing regular programming content. Therefore there is a possibility of 4th channels.
If this was to happen – Seven, Nine and Ten – were allowed to have a 4th channel, I believe the provision of such should be highly conditional. Given that the third channels for Seven and Nine have effectively removed ALL main channel HD content, and ONE did the same for Ten nearly two years ago, any suggestion of a 4th channel should re-instate the HD content that we are now missing out on.
New conditions for HD content should go FAR beyond the 20 hours per week that was put in place nearly a decade ago, when hardly anyone owned or could even afford an HD TV.
The way I would like to see the 4th channel work is as per the following rules, which would revent a network from using it as a 4th unique channel and income stream. Keep in mind, this is all opinion based, and hypothetical – there is nothing anywhere at this stage that suggests 4th channels will actually happen any time soon, if at all.
1. The 4th channel will be the HD channel. The first three channels all revert to SD.
2. The HD channel must show HD content for at least 18 hours a day. In 2011, there is no reason why the networks could not easily fill this amount of HD content daily. Just about every TV show in the US is made in HD, most locally are as well.
3. The HD channel should provide an HD simulcast of the main channel during specified prime time hours – say 6pm – 10.30pm nightly.
4. The HD channel cannot be used as a distinct 4th channel. It must be either simulcasting the main channel or broadcasting HD content seen on the other digital channels the network owns. This rule gives the flexibility for Ten for example to still show HD sports when available while showing Ten content in HD during prime time. The only possible exception would be if sport runs over time and the network chooses to return to normal programming on the main channel while leaving the HD channel to continue with the sport.
5. In some cases, HD shows could be time shifted. If, for example, a network has two or even three shows airing in one night that they own in HD, they could opt to show the main channel HD shows live (by rule 3, it has to be the main channel programming during specified prime time hours), then play shows seen on their other channels in HD at different times.
6. The reverse of point 5, a show would be allowed to air on the HD channel before it airs on one of the SD channels so long as it occurs within a 7 day period. This would allow HD premieres to come before they air in SD on other channels. The result of points 5 and 6 do cause there to be four different shows on at once but it does mean that anything seen on the HD channel is also seen on an SD channel even at a different time.
The fourth channel scenario, coupled with these rules in fact will benefit everybody.
It would mean, that all of a network’s content is seen over their three SD channels, while most, if not all of a network’s content available in HD would be seen on their HD channel. It would mean prime time main channel content is seen in HD again, while other content available in HD that may be seen on other channels can also be seen in HD as well as SD.
It would mean that sport would be able to be seen in HD without impacting on the regular programming of other channels. It would mean that all people with digital set top boxes whether they have HD or not can see all shows that a network offers.
Such a solution would surely please everybody over the next three years until analogue is switched off.
Then – later in the decade when we start using MPEG-4 and all three of a network’s channels can be upgraded to HD, the 4th channel would become redundant, and could then be used in reverse to provide an SD MPEG-2 signal of either the main channel or a mix of the three channels for those with old digital tuners.
Again – the only new FTA channel we know will happen for sure in 2011 is ELEVEN. While there is room for SBS THREE, funding issues will most likely mean it does not happen any time soon. SBS should focus more on revamping the offerings over their two channels in any case before they think of a third. SBS ONE is now regularly beaten in channel shares by one or more of the commercial digital channels from Seven and Nine.
Election day 2010 – it’s here!
If you want to keep up to date with the progress of the count on the night, there will be plenty of choices. If you don’t, then you still have plenty of options, thanks mostly to free to air digital channels and Pay TV.
Here’s the guide as to what will be on TV Saturday August 21. Updated with programming changes as of August 21.
Nine:
Virtually within seconds of the election being called, Nine sent out a press release spruiking their election night coverage featuring Laurie Oakes, amongst others. On Nine, election coverage will start from 5pm with a one hour special looking at the campaign and how the two leaders have faired. After the 6pm news, Nine will broadcast live from the tally room with expert opinion and analysis through the night. SA and WA viewers will see the coverage live.
Weekend Today will be extended to 10am with both Julia and Tony appearing on the show.
Read more about Nine’s coverage here.
Check out Nine’s promo for their Election Coverage here.
Seven:
Seven will have a special Saturday edition of the 4.30pm news at 4.30pm (eastern states only). This will be followed by live coverage from 5pm and then 6.30pm after their 6pm news. Seven’s election night coverage will also feature up to date news, information and views as the counting continues through the night. Seven’s coverage will be live across the nation, meaning it starts at 4.30 in SA and 3pm in WA.
Weekend Sunrise is extended to 10am.
Read more about Seven’s election night coverage here.
ABC1 and ABC News 24:
Live coverage starts at 6pm eastern, 5.30pm in SA/NT and 4pm in WA on both ABC1 and ABC News 24, and will be hosted by Kerry O’Brien from Canberra’s Tally room. ABC’s coverage will also stream live online. For more information about ABC’s election night coverage, click here.
ABC News 24
Apart from the coverage after 6pm that airs on ABC1 as well, ABC News 24 have abandoned regular programming for 2 days to bring non-stop election coverage over Saturday Aug 21 and Sunday Aug 22. Read more here.
Ten:
Ten news at Five will actually be live around the country on Saturday August 21, meaning it will air at 4.30pm in SA and 3pm in WA. Ten’s news will be a special 90 minute bulletin covering the days’ events and will be followed by a VERY special 7PM Project called: The 7PM Election Project.
In eastern states, The 7PM Election Project will be seen at 6.30pm, followed by AFL at 7.30pm. After the AFL at 11pm eastern, will be a one hour news special updating election results.
AFL on that night is Adelaide Vs Collingwood – seen at 7.30pm in Melbourne and Brisbane, Live at 6.30pm in Adelaide and 5.30pm in Perth. In Sydney, it’s the Sydney Swans Vs Western Bulldogs from 7.30pm.
The live AFL in Adelaide also means they will miss out on half of the 7PM Election Project.
Ten In summary:
East / SA / WA
5.00 / 4.30 / 3.00 Ten News
6.30 / 6.00 / 4.30 The 7pm Election Project
7.30 / 6.30 / 5.30 AFL
10.30 / 10.00 / 8.30 Ten News Election Wrap Up
11.30 / 11.00 / 11.30 Movie Idiocracy.
Note: Perth has another movie TBA at 9.30pm between the news and Idiocracy.
Note also: Before the Game will not be seen that night.
Read more about Ten’s coverage here.
SBS ONE:
Updated. World News Australia will air from 6.30 – 7.30pm, followed by Monster Moves at 7.30pm.
Then Saturday Aug 21, 8.30pm – 10:30pm AEST: News anchor Anton Enus and Chief Political Correspondent Karen Middleton host a live panel program as the results come in, joined by expert political commentators.
PAY TV.
Sky news Australia
Naturally Sky News Australia will provide comprehensive multi-channel and interactive election coverage, spear-headed (ha!) by their political editor David Speers – who will no doubt need some well earnt time off after the election. On the night, Sky News will offer election coverage on both channels 601 and 602.
Sky News’ is also advertising rolling coverage from 5.30am.
To read more about SKY NEW’s most comprehensive election coverage in Australian history (their words, not mine), click HERE.
All other Pay TV channels business as usual – as you’d expect!
Free to Air Digital Channels
If you want to escape all the election coverage on the main channels, then check out what is on the digital channels.
ONE – Your election night sports fix.
Pretty much business as usual on ONE, covering the AFL the same time as Ten, with Sports Tonight at 7pm eastern and the AFL post game show after the AFL.
At 11.25pm eastern, see live German Football as Hoffenheim take on Werder Bremen.
SBS TWO – Docos and movies.
Programming includes the Squiz at 6pm, A Fork in Australia at 6.30, Cooking in the Danger Zone at 7pm and History of Britain at 7.30. A French murder mystery called Spiral at 8.30, followed by the French movie Lemming at 9.30. German movie 666: In Bed with the Devil follows at 11.45.
7TWO – Best of British night.
Business as usual on 7TWO with Doctor Finlay at 6.30, Heartbeat 7.30, Lewis at 8.30 and Minder at 10.30.
GO! – for Saturday night movies.
Updated. Movies on GO on August 21 include Blast From the Past from 6pm followed by Wedding Crashers at 8.30pm. Late change. At 11pm, if you missed the premiere of Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Wednesday night, you can see an encore at 11pm Saturday night.
ABC2 – Entertainment election escape!
Programming includes IPC Swimming highlights from 6, then Heartland at 6.45 and Heart and Soul at 7.35. The 1968 movie Once Upon a Time in the West is on at 8.30 followed by Gulliver’s Travels – made in 1939 – at 11.10.
ABC3 – Children’s election escape!
6pm The Twisted Whiskers Show followed by Escape from Scorpian Island at 6.30. Then it’s Rush TV from 7 and Good Game at 7.25. From 7.45pm see four episodes in a row of Dragon Booster before the channel closes for the night at 9.10.
I’ve always wondered why ABC3 doesn’t run later on weekend as many kids stay up past 9pm on a Saturday.
Note: All programming here subject to change by the respective networks. All details above prepared using advanced guides and press releases provided by the various networks.
This one almost slipped away unnoticed! No fanfares, no cakes, no parties… how could I forget?
6pm June 1 marked the first birthday of SBS’s second digital channel SBS TWO. SBS TWO replaced the SBS News channel which previously had only been broadcasting international news bulletins for most of the day.
While the International news is still available until 6pm on SBS TWO as well as SBS ONE in the mornings, SBS TWO has allowed SBS to offer more content then it could just on the one channel.
SBS TWO as a multi channel does not exactly set the ratings world on fire – with shares of around 0.4% on average of the total TV viewing audience, and about 10% of those of SBS ONE, but it has been able to compliment SBS ONE at times where sporting commitments overlap – such as in July 2009 when both the Tour de France and the Test Cricket were on at the same time – SBS TWO allowed one event to be shown while the other was aired on SBS ONE.
With the World Cup Soccer starting June 11 (and SBS remind us of that date after every ad break at the moment) anti-siphoning rules have been temporarily relaxed to allow SBS to show different games on both SBS ONE and SBS TWO concurrently – meaning viewers with access to both channels will have the choice of two games to watch live. Games played on SBS TWO will be repeated on SBS ONE at a later time. Games on SBS ONE will also be seen in HD on SBS ONE HD.
Selected soccer games will also be shown in 3D on SBS 3D, digital channel 40 – the same channel Nine is using for 3D coverage of the State of Origin, the second game of which occurs on June 16.
Happy Birthday, SBS TWO – albeit a day late!
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