Editing Television broadcasting in Australia

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:ABS-6291.0.55.003-LabourForceAustraliaDetailedQuarterly-EmployedPersonsByIndustrySubdivisionSex-EmployedTotal-BroadcastingExceptInternet-Persons-A2545679X.svg|thumb|right|300px|Total employment (thousands of people) in Australian broadcasting (includes television and radio but not internet) since 1984]]
[[File:Filming outdoor.jpg|thumb|Outdoor filming for TV in Canberra (2013)]]

'''Television broadcasting in Australia''' began officially on 16 September 1956, with the opening of [[TCN|TCN-9]], quickly followed by national and commercial stations in Sydney and Melbourne, all these being in 625-line [[Black and white television|black and white]]. The commencement date was designed so as to provide coverage of the [[1956 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games in Melbourne]]. It has now grown to be a nationwide system that includes a broad range of public, commercial, community, subscription, narrowcast, and amateur stations.

[[Colour television]] in the [[PAL]] 625-line format was introduced in 1967 and went to a full-time basis on 1 March 1975 while [[Pay television|subscription television]], on the Galaxy platform, began in January 1995. [[Digital television in Australia|Digital terrestrial television]] was introduced on 1 January 2001 in Australia's five largest capital cities.

As early as 1929, two Melbourne commercial radio stations, [[3UZ]] and [[KIIS 101.1|3DB]] were conducting experimental mechanical television broadcasts{{spnd}} these were conducted in the early hours of the morning, after the stations had officially closed down. In 1934, Dr Val McDowall<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.racp.edu.au/page/library/college-roll/college-roll-detail&id=496 |title=RACP: College Roll |access-date=2015-05-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504062337/https://www.racp.edu.au/page/library/college-roll/college-roll-detail%26id%3D496 |archive-date=4 May 2015 }}</ref> at amateur station 4CM Brisbane<ref>{{cite web|url=https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:212637/s00855804_1961_1962_6_4_750.pdf |title=Broadcasting in Queensland |access-date=2016-02-20 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052304/https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ%3A212637/s00855804_1961_1962_6_4_750.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 }},</ref> conducted experiments in electronic television.

==Public television==
Australia has three national public broadcasters, the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], the [[Special Broadcasting Service]], and, as more recently, [[National Indigenous Television]].

===Australian Broadcasting Corporation===
[[ABC Television (Australian TV network)|ABC Television]] is a division of the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], established in 1956. [[ABC TV (Australian TV network)|ABC TV]], [[ABC Family (Australian TV channel)|ABC Family]], [[ABC Entertains]] and [[ABC News (Australian TV channel)|ABC News]] are available nationally, in to [[ABC Australia (Southeast Asian TV channel)]], focused at the [[Asia-Pacific|Asia Pacific]] region.

[[ABC TV (Australian TV network)|ABC TV]] carries a variety of local and national news, current affairs, and sports coverage, as well as Australian arts and comedy programming. It is well known for broadcasting British programming, primarily from the [[BBC]], [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]], and [[Channel 4]].

[[ABC Family (Australian TV channel)|ABC Family]], established as a second digital-only channel called ABC2 on 7 March 2005. Originally aimed at providing 'more choice, more often', the channel mainly provided repeats of popular ABC productions, such as ''[[Australian Story]]'' and ''[[Stateline (TV program)|Stateline]]'', and was prohibited by law from carrying programmes from a number of genres; however, after the removal of these restrictions the channel's content was broadened considerably.<ref>{{cite news
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/australia/story/0,,1925263,00.html
| title = Australia opens up media investment
| access-date = 2007-03-31
| date = 18 October 2006
| work = MediaGuardian.co.uk
| publisher = guardian.co.uk
| location=London
| first=Julia
| last=Day
}}</ref> It was announced by the ABC that, from 4 December 2017, ABC2 was to be replaced by ABC Comedy, ending the channel's 12-year run.<ref name="ABC gets serious about comedy">{{cite web|title=ABC gets serious about comedy|url=http://about.abc.net.au/press-releases/abc-gets-serious-about-comedy/|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=30 October 2017|date=30 October 2017}}</ref>

[[ABC Entertains]], a third digital-only kids channel began on 4 December 2009.

[[ABC News (Australian TV channel)|ABC News]], a digital news channel began on 22 July 2010.

[[ABC Kids (Australia)|ABC Kids]], a digital shared channel began on 2 May 2011.

===Special Broadcasting Service===
{{cleanup section|reason=The section is too long|date=February 2023}}
[[SBS Television]] is a division of the [[Special Broadcasting Service]], founded to provide for the estimated 20% of Australians that speak a language other than English in the home, aiming to complement the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]].

In recent years SBS TV has begun to target a broader cross-section of the Australian community, in part because of the emergence of specialty subscription television channels aimed at such minorities. In addition to its free-to-air channels, SBS also has an interest in the [[World Movies|World Movies Channel]] which has since been revived on free-to-air TV as [[SBS World Movies]] and it relaunched on the 1st of July 2019.

SBS shows many non-English language films with English subtitles, and each morning shows news bulletins in foreign languages from around the world in its ''WorldWatch'' timeslot. In addition to this, a great deal of programming from the [[PBS]], [[Arte]], [[BBC]] and [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]], and even [[Comedy Central]] are shown.

Acquired entertainment programs include the US animated series ''[[South Park]]'', ''[[Queer as Folk (US TV series)|Queer as Folk]]'' and ''[[Inspector Rex]]''. In addition to news and current affairs programming such as [[World News Australia|SBS World News]] and ''[[Dateline (Australian TV program)|Dateline]]'', the network also commissions locally produced documentaries, movies and comedy programs. Less-popular mainstream sports such as soccer, cycling and athletics are also shown.

SBS currently broadcasts six channels: [[SBS (Australian TV channel)|SBS]], known as 'SBS One' between 2009 and 2015, [[SBS Viceland]], known as SBS Two between 2009 and 2016, [[SBS World Movies]], [[SBS Food]], known as Food Network Australia between 2015 and 2018, [[National Indigenous Television|NITV]], also known as National indigenous Television (see [[#National Indigenous Television]] and more info about this channel in that section), and [[SBS WorldWatch]] launched on the 23rd of May of 2022.

===National Indigenous Television===
[[National Indigenous Television]], funded by the [[Commonwealth of Australia]], is produced in [[Sydney]] and broadcast via [[Imparja Television]]'s existing satellite capacity.

The idea for a national, indigenous television service was initially conceived by the National Indigenous Radio Service (the peak Indigenous radio group), which initially lobbied the government to start a new, nationwide indigenous television network. Although no major political party championed this cause, commercial broadcaster [[Imparja Television]] stated in 2004 that it would run such a network, at least within its own licence area.<ref>{{cite web
 |title       = Services Provision Review
 |publisher   = [[Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (Australia)|DCITA]]
 |url         = http://www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/11034/Imparja_Television_Pty_Ltd.doc
 |date        = July 2004
 |access-date  = 2007-07-12
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070910155650/http://www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/11034/Imparja_Television_Pty_Ltd.doc
 |archive-date = 10 September 2007
}}</ref> In 2005 the federal [[Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (Australia)|Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts]] considered funding such a station, and conducted a review process.

On 13 July 2007 NITV launched, replacing [[Indigenous Community Television]] on the [[Optus fleet of satellites|Optus Aurora]] remote satellite service.<ref>{{cite news
  | title = New Indigenous TV station turns on
  | newspaper = ABC News
 | publisher = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]
  | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/13/1977687.htm
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080312161530/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/13/1977687.htm
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = 12 March 2008
  | date = 14 July 2007
  | access-date = 2007-07-13
}}</ref>

On 12 December 2012 NITV was launched on free to air on which was the 4th digital channel of SBS, making this channel available to all Australians wherever SBS digital television is broadcast.

==Commercial television==
[[Image:Australia television market regions.svg|350px|right]]

In order to allow for commercial licensing, the country was divided into a number of licence areas. When these were drawn up in the 1950s, each major city or regional area – about 50 in all – was considered its own market region. In each of the five major capitals, three commercial licences were granted (the exception being [[Perth]] which did not receive its third commercial station until 1988<ref>{{cite web
  | title = The History of Australian Television – The Eighties
  | publisher = television.au
  | url = http://www.televisionau.com/eighties.htm
  | year = 2006
  | access-date = 2007-07-12
}}</ref>), while smaller cities or regions were granted a single licence.

The process of ''[[Regional television in Australia#Aggregation|aggregation]]'' began in 1989.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = The History of Australian Television – The Nineties
  | publisher = television.au
  | url = http://www.televisionau.com/nineties.htm
  | year = 2006
  | access-date = 2007-07-12
}}</ref> Regional markets were merged and (usually) three licences were granted in the new, aggregated, area, with the exception of Tasmania and Remote & Central Australia, which got two licences. As some markets were formed by the merger of up to six different individual markets, this meant that some stations had to merge or form partnerships in order to remain competitive. Around the same time, many remote market regions were replaced with two [[satellite]] market regions – one for regional [[Western Australia]], and one for remote central and eastern Australia – although each of these regions was only granted two licences.

Some remained un-aggregated, and are today known as diary markets.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Regional Television Diary
  | publisher = [[Nielsen Media Research]]
  | url = http://www.nielsenmedia.com.au/MRI_pages.asp?MRIID=21
  | year = 2007
  | access-date = 2007-07-15
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070414212141/http://www.nielsenmedia.com.au/MRI_pages.asp?MRIID=21 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 14 April 2007}}</ref> These were granted a second licence, sometimes to the same company that owned the existing licence.  Two-broadcaster areas were later granted a third licence, to a [[joint venture]] company formed as a partnership of the two existing broadcasters. Examples of these include [[Tasmanian Digital Television]], [[Mildura Digital Television]], [[Darwin Digital Television]] and [[West Digital Television]] service.<ref>{{cite press release
  | title = New digital commercial television service for Darwin
  | publisher = [[Australian Communications and Media Authority]]
  | date = 18 May 2007 }}</ref>
Areas with one broadcaster were also granted a third licence to the same company that owned the other two licences.

===Metropolitan===
There are three commercial metropolitan networks, the [[Seven Network]], [[Nine Network]] and [[Network 10]]. Originally, the networks operated within metropolitan areas, but have expanded into regional areas through the acquisition of local affiliate broadcasters.

'''Seven Network'''
* Headquarters & Main studio: [[ATN#Programmes produced by ATN-7|Eveleigh, Sydney]]
*National play-out centre: [[Frenchs Forest, New South Wales|Frenchs Forest, Sydney]]

'''Nine Network'''
* Headquarters & Main studio: [[TCN#Production|North Sydney]]
* National play-out centre: [[Frenchs Forest, New South Wales|Frenchs Forest, Sydney]]

'''Network 10'''
* Headquarters, Main studio & National play-out centre: [[TEN (TV station)#Studio facilities|Pyrmont, Sydney]]

===Regional and remote===
{{main|Regional television in Australia}}

The population of Australians living outside of metropolitan areas are served by a number of [[Regional television in Australia|regional television]] networks that are affiliated with a metropolitan counterpart. Before the 1980s, regional stations were mostly independent with some forming loose partnerships and others merging into local networks. However, the [[Bob Hawke|Hawke Labor government]] introduced a system known as aggregation – regional television equalisation – which would provide viewers with the same viewing choices as those in the metropolitan cities. Consequently, the regional stations and networks continued to merge and expand, and became affiliated with one of the three metropolitan networks. Further equalisation later occurred in the 2000s – with the advent of digital television – to areas that escaped initial aggregation.

Today, [[WIN Television]], [[Imparja Television]] and [[Southern Cross Austereo]] notably remain independent, whereas broadcasters like [[Prime7|Prime Television]], the [[GWN7|Golden West Network]], [[STQ|Sunshine Television]] and [[NBN Television]] have been absorbed by the metropolitan networks over the years.

As with some of the metropolitan stations, local content is present only in the form of local news bulletin or local advertising. The amount of local news provided varies from two-minute updates to full-hour, seven nights a week news bulletins.

===Current ownership===
Commercial stations in metropolitan markets (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth), in addition to many regional markets, are owned and operated by their respective network. In some regional and remote markets, the stations are owned by an affiliate broadcaster.

Some regional and remote markets have one operator holding a monopoly over all three networks, with one "digital only" station of the three operating under a supplementary licence. Other regional markets have only two operators — each affiliated with a respective network — who have formed a "digital only" joint venture station to operate under a supplementary licence and broadcast the remaining third network.<ref group="notes">Officially, so called "digital only" services are supplementary licences given through Section 38B of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. Even though Australia no longer has any analogue television signals, the then-commonly used term "digital only" is listed here for posterity.</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
!colspan=3|Station status
|-
|style="background:gainsboro;"|Network-owned
|style="background:orange;"|Supplementary monopoly
|style="background:cyan;" |Supplementary joint venture
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width:99%;"
! colspan=2 | Licence areas<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.acma.gov.au/~/media/Broadcast%20Carriage%20Policy/Information/pdf/Determination%20of%20population%20figures%20under%20section%2030%20of%20the%20BSA%20pdf.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204000755/https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acma.gov.au%2F~%2Fmedia%2FBroadcast%20Carriage%20Policy%2FInformation%2Fpdf%2FDetermination%20of%20population%20figures%20under%20section%2030%20of%20the%20BSA%20pdf.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 February 2022 | title=Unknown}}</ref><br /><small>Sub-markets</small>
! style="width:17%;"| Seven Network<br /><small>and affiliates</small>
! style="width:17%;"| Nine Network<br /><small>and affiliates</small>
! style="width:17%;"| Network 10<br /><small>and affiliates</small>
|-
! colspan=5 style="background-color: #ccccff;" | New South Wales
|-
! style="width:10px; background:#fced19;"|
| Sydney<br /><small>Metropolitan area (including Central Coast and Blue Mountains)</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[ATN|Seven Sydney]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[TCN|Nine Sydney]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[TEN (TV station)|10 Sydney]]
|-
| style="background:#86BD75;" |
| Northern NSW{{efn|name=fn1|While there are several areas where viewers can receive programmes from more than one licence area, the Central Coast, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast are special cases. Each has dedicated transmitters, on the same tower, for two different regions. Two sets of commercial stations produce dedicated feeds for the Gold Coast.}}<br /><small>Newcastle, Central Coast, Coffs Harbour, Tamworth, Taree, Lismore, Gold Coast (QLD)</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;"| [[NEN (TV station)|Seven Northern NSW]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[NBN (TV station)|Nine Northern NSW]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[NRN|10 Northern NSW]]
|-
| style="background:#5B854C;" |
| Southern NSW<br /><small>Wollongong, Canberra (ACT), Wagga Wagga, Orange, Dubbo</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;"| [[CBN (Australian TV station)|Seven Southern NSW]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[WIN (TV station)|Nine Southern NSW]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;"| [[CTC (TV station)|10 Southern NSW]]
|-
| style="background:#858485;" |
| Griffith and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area{{efn|name=fn2|One broadcaster has a monopoly in this area, as it was determined during aggregation that this area cannot support more than one commercial television broadcaster.}}{{efn|name=fn3|This rural area was not aggregated during the early nineties, unlike most rural areas, but was granted multiple commercial services over time. This market is now primarily of historic significance.}}
| style="text-align:center;" | [[MTN (TV station)|Seven Griffith]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center;" | [[AMN (TV station)|Nine Griffith]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:orange;"| [[MTN (TV station)|10 Griffith]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
|-
! colspan=5 style="background-color: #ccccff;" | Victoria
|-
| style="background:#FCED19;" |
| Melbourne<br /><small>Metropolitan area (including Geelong)</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[HSV (TV station)|Seven Melbourne]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[GTV (Australian TV station)|Nine Melbourne]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[ATV (Australian TV station)|10 Melbourne]]
|-
| style="background:#72B1CA;" |
| Regional Victoria<br /><small>Ballarat, Bendigo, Albury (NSW), Shepparton, Traralgon</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;"| [[AMV (TV station)|Seven Victoria]]
| style="text-align:center;"| [[VTV (Australian TV station)|Nine Victoria]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;"| [[GLV/BCV|10 Victoria]]
|-
| style="background:#B3B2B3;" |
| Mildura/Sunraysia{{efn|name=fn3}}
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;"| [[PTV (TV station)|Seven Mildura]]
| style="text-align:center;"| [[STV (TV station)|Nine Mildura]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:cyan;"| ''No service''{{efn|name=fn5|[[Mildura Digital Television]] ceased broadcasting Network 10 programming on 30 June 2024.}}
|-
! colspan=5 style="background-color: #ccccff;" | Queensland
|-
| style="background:#FCED19;" |
| Brisbane{{efn|name=fn1}}<br /><small>Metropolitan area (including Gold Coast and southern Sunshine Coast)</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[BTQ|Seven Brisbane]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[QTQ|Nine Brisbane]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[TVQ|10 Brisbane]]
|-
| style="background:#DB3E63;" |
| Regional Queensland<br /><small>Townsville, Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Mackay, Maryborough</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[STQ|Seven Queensland]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[RTQ|Nine Queensland]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;"| [[TNQ|10 Queensland]]
|-
! colspan=5 style="background-color: #ccccff;" | South Australia
|-
| style="background:#FCED19;" |
| Adelaide<br /><small>Metropolitan area (including Murray Bridge, Victor Harbor and central Yorke Peninsula)</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[SAS (TV station)|Seven Adelaide]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[NWS (TV station)|Nine Adelaide]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[ADS (TV station)|10 Adelaide]]
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#92825F;" |
| Spencer Gulf{{efn|name=fn2}}{{efn|name=fn3}}
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | [[GTS/BKN|Seven Spencer Gulf]]<br /><small>Southern Cross Austereo</small>
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:orange;"| [[GTS/BKN|Nine Spencer Gulf]]<br /><small>Southern Cross Austereo</small>
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | [[SGS/SCN|10 Spencer Gulf]]<br /><small>Southern Cross Austereo</small>
|-
<!-- rowspan -->
| Broken Hill, NSW{{efn|name=fn2}}{{efn|name=fn3}}
<!-- rowspan -->
<!-- rowspan -->
<!-- rowspan -->
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#6A412A;" |
| Mount Gambier/South East{{efn|name=fn2}}{{efn|name=fn3}}
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | [[SES/RTS|Seven SA]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:orange;"| [[SES/RTS|Nine SA]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | [[MGS/LRS|10 SA]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
|-
<!-- rowspan -->
| Riverland{{efn|name=fn2}}{{efn|name=fn3}}
<!-- rowspan -->
<!-- rowspan -->
<!-- rowspan -->
|-
! colspan=5 style="background-color: #ccccff;" | Western Australia
|-
| style="background:#FCED19;" |
| Perth<br /><small>Metropolitan area (including Mandurah)</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[TVW|Seven Perth]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[STW|Nine Perth]]
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[NEW (TV station)|10 Perth]]
|-
| style="background:#C7A7BC;" |
| Remote and Regional WA{{efn|name=fn3}}{{efn|name=fn4|Transmission is via satellite for remote areas, and via terrestrial broadcast for more developed areas.}}<br /><small>Bunbury and Albany, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Remote Western Zone</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[GWN7|Seven Regional WA]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[WOW (TV station)|Nine WA]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:cyan;"| [[West Digital Television|10 WA]]<br /><small>West Digital Television</small>
|-
! colspan=5 style="background-color: #ccccff;" | Other Regional/Remote Areas
|-
| style="background:#F19479;" |
| Tasmania<br /><small>Hobart, Launceston</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| [[TNT (Australian TV station)|Seven Tasmania]]<br /><small>Southern Cross Austereo</small>
| style="text-align:center;" | [[TVT (TV station)|Nine Tasmania]]<br /><small>WIN Corporation</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:cyan;"| [[TDT (TV station)|10 Tasmania]]<br /><small>Tasmanian Digital Television</small>
|-
| style="background:#4C4B4B;" |
| Darwin{{efn|name=fn3}}<br /><small>(including Batchelor)</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| [[TND (TV station)|Seven Darwin]]<br /><small>Southern Cross Austereo</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:gainsboro;" | [[NTD (Australian TV station)|Nine Darwin]]
| style="text-align:center; background:cyan;"| [[DTD (TV station)|10 Darwin]]<br /><small>Darwin Digital Television</small>
|-
| style="background:#E4D3E1;" |
| Remote Central & Eastern Australia{{efn|name=fn4}}<br /><small>(including Alice Springs, Mount Isa, Katherine and Tennant Creek; remote areas of Northern Territory, western New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland; alpine areas of Victoria and New South Wales)</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| [[QQQ|Seven Central]]<br /><small>Southern Cross Austereo</small>
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Imparja]]<br /><small>Imparja Television</small>
| style="text-align:center; background:cyan;"| [[CDT (TV station)|10 Central]]<br /><small>Central Digital Television</small>
|}

====Notes====
{{notelist}}

==Community broadcasting==
In 1993 the [[Australian Broadcasting Authority]] allocated licences for a sixth television channel for non-profit community and educational use on a trial basis. The groundwork for community television was laid in the [[Broadcasting Services Act 1992]], which defined a new service category, community television, for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|title=ABA releases spectrum for sixth channel |publisher=[[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_90279 |year=1993 |access-date=2007-07-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921102304/http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc%3DPC_90279 |archive-date=21 September 2007 }}</ref>

Prospective community television providers were invited to apply for transmitter licences, which were
granted to groups in [[Sydney]],<ref name="community-sydmelb">{{cite web|title=ABA licences community TV in Sydney and Melbourne |publisher=[[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_90283 |year=1993 |access-date=2007-07-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921102011/http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc%3DPC_90283 |archive-date=21 September 2007 }}</ref> [[Melbourne]],<ref name="community-sydmelb" /> [[Brisbane]],<ref>{{cite web|title=No Licence for Ipswich Community TV Group |publisher=[[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_90403 |year=1994 |access-date=2007-07-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921084947/http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc%3DPC_90403 |archive-date=21 September 2007 }}</ref> [[Adelaide]]<ref name="community-adelaidelismore">{{cite web|title=ABA licences community TV in Adelaide and Lismore |publisher=[[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_90297 |year=1993 |access-date=2007-07-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921103649/http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc%3DPC_90297 |archive-date=21 September 2007 }}</ref> and [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]].<ref name="community-adelaidelismore" /> In February, 1995, the West Australian Community Broadcasting Association was appointed to manage access to the sixth channel in [[Perth]] and [[Mandurah]] on behalf of groups based in the two cities.<ref>{{cite web|title=ABA licenses community TV in Perth and Mandurah |publisher=[[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_90516 |year=1995 |access-date=2007-07-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070919221339/http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc%3DPC_90516 |archive-date=19 September 2007 }}</ref>

Licences were also granted in 1996 to Hobart Access Community Television Inc in [[Hobart]] and Bendigo Community Television Inc in [[Bendigo]] however these were not renewed. Similarly, a licence for BushVision in [[Mount Gambier]] was granted in 2005, but it later lapsed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Community television trial in Mount Gambier, South Australia |publisher=[[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_100022 |year=2005 |access-date=2007-07-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070920000453/http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc%3DPC_100022 |archive-date=20 September 2007 }}</ref> Permanent licences for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth were allocated in 2004, while trial licences remain in effect in Adelaide and Lismore.

The [[Australian Community Television Alliance]], established in March 2008 is the national representative organisation for community television.  The CEO of [[Television Sydney|TVS]] [[Sydney]], Laurie Patton, is the Secretary and represents ACTA on the Federal Government's Digital Switchover Taskforce Industry Advisory Group. In addition to these, a number of community groups produce programming in regional areas, including Queanbeyan Canberra Television (QCTV) in [[Canberra]], Hunter Community Television in [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://novacast.0catch.com/ |title=Untitled Document |access-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171829/http://novacast.0catch.com/ |archive-date=3 March 2016 }}</ref> Illawarra Community Television (ICTV) in [[Wollongong]]<ref>[http://www.communities.ninemsn.com.au/ICTV-GONGON]{{dead link|date=May 2014}}</ref> and WARP Television in [[Bathurst, New South Wales|Bathurst]].

Groups in a number of areas including [[Ballarat]] and [[Victor Harbor, South Australia|Victor Harbor]] have unsuccessfully applied for licences. [[Aurora Community Television]], Australian Multicultural Television, Ballarat Community Cable Television, Channel Vision (Canberra) and Satellite Community TV, although not licensed as community stations, provide similar services.

Community Television stations went digital in 2010. However, in September 2014 Australian federal communications minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]] announced that licensing for community television stations would end in December 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-10/community-television-kicked-off-air-by-federal-government/5733690?nw=0|title = Community television to be kicked off air by Government|publisher = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date = 10 September 2014}}</ref> In September 2015, Turnbull, now Prime Minister, announced an extension of the deadline to 31 December 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2015/09/community-tv-lifeline-extended-to-2016.html|title = Community TV lifeline: Extended to 2016 &#124; TV Tonight| date=7 October 2015 }}</ref> The deadline was further extended incrementally by communications minister [[Mitch Fifield]] until June 2021, however by 2015 Sydney's [[Television Sydney]] had ceased broadcasting, as had Brisbane's [[Hitchhike TV|31 Digital]], switching to a short-live online streaming service. As of January 2021, the only remaining community television stations in Australia still broadcasting are Melbourne's [[C31 Melbourne|C31]] and Adelaide's [[Channel 44 (Adelaide)|Channel 44]].

==Subscription television==

Two of the three major providers of [[subscription television in Australia]] carry a common service; however they have a number of differences. [[Foxtel]] currently 'controls' the common service that Optus resell. This service is known as the Foxtel Platform.

[[Austar]] broadcast into all of regional Australia (except [[Western Australia]]), [[Tasmania]] and [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] while Foxtel broadcast in all capital cities, the [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]], the [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]] and all of [[Western Australia]] until mid-2012 when Foxtel/[[Austar]] merged hence Foxtel gaining the Austar coverage areas. [[Optus Television]] operates only in the small parts of [[Sydney]], [[Melbourne]], [[Brisbane]] and [[Adelaide]] where it has laid cable.

[[SelecTV (Australian television)|SelecTV]] was the fourth provider of subscription television controlled by [[WIN Corporation]].<ref>{{cite web | author = Griffin, Peter | date =24 April 2006 | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10378790 | title = Satellite viewing options improve | work = New Zealand Herald Online | access-date =2006-04-28 }}</ref> SelecTV was available throughout Australia via satellite and focused on providing content in comparatively low priced packages to a number of specialised market segments; including Spanish, [[Greek people|Greek]], and [[Italian people|Italian]]. As of January 2011, the service is no longer available.

There are two small region-based subscription television providers; [[TransACT|TransTV Digital]] which is available in [[Canberra]]; and [[Neighbourhood Cable]] based in [[Ballarat]], and also available in [[Geelong]] & [[Mildura]].

There are also a number of satellite services that target specific language speaking groups, the largest being [[UBI World TV]], a non-English language service. Globecast TV and Pan Global TV are non-English language, Christian and sport channel platforms that are controlled by [[Globecast]]. Various operators run their own subscription services on these platforms. In addition, there are other satellite subscription services available through other providers.

National IPTV operators include [[Total Peripherals Group|TPG IPTV]].


==Datacasting==
[[Datacasting]] in Australia began as a test transmission in [[Sydney]] using one of the reserved digital spectrum positions. Australian broadcast infrastructure company [[Broadcast Australia]] undertook the three-year trial using the [[DVB-T]] system. The trial consisted of a number of services on one standard 7&nbsp;MHz [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplex]], collectively known as ''[[Digital Forty Four]]''. The service was extended past the three-year period, but ended in March 2010

The services included; a combined program guide for the free-to-air broadcasters, named [[Channel 4 (Australia)|Channel 4]]; a news, sport, and weather datacast channel provided by the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]; a government and public information channel, known as [[Channel NSW]], which included real time traffic information and surf webcams; the Australian Christian Channel; the [[Expo Channel]]; and various federal parliamentary audio broadcasts.

Today, datacasting consists of information based channels that are broadcast as subchannels of the existing commercial broadcasters.  As of mid 2013, these broadcast mainly infomercials.  Examples include [[TVSN]] and [[4ME]].

==Narrowcasting==
There are currently five [[Narrowcasting|open-narrowcast]] services in Australia:

* Aboriginal TV & TVNT – [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] – [http://aboriginalbroadcasting.org/ link]
* Goolarri Television (GTV) – [[Broome, Western Australia|Broome]] – [http://goolarri.com/gtv/ link]
* [[Indigenous Community Television]] (ICTV) – [[Alice Springs]]
* Ngarda Community Television and Radio – [[Roebourne, Western Australia]]
* [[Snowy Mountains Television]] (SMTV) – [[Jindabyne, New South Wales]]

One of the narrowcast services, Indigenous Community Television (ICTV), is available to satellite users across Australia via the [[VAST]] service. 

Aboriginal Television, GTV and Ngarda TV are local Indigenous-owned services that broadcast only to their home market. SMTV is also restricted to its home market of Jindabyne.

==Amateur broadcasting==
The Australian [[amateur radio]] bands include frequencies standard televisions can receive, which have led to [[amateur radio operator]]s making use of this by [[amateur television|broadcasting video]].

The frequency overlap occurs roughly where television channel 16 lies. Typically, channel 16 is used for amateur television transmissions; however, other frequencies are sometimes utilized, especially those used by satellite television services. Most transmissions can be viewed and heard on an analogue television, but some transmissions require additional or other equipment.

===New South Wales===
Television Gladesville (VK2TVG) in [[Sydney]] conducts three test transmissions per week on Channel 16, including a three-hour live to air program on Wednesday nights.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Transmission Times in Sydney
  | publisher = Television Gladesville
  | url = http://televisiongladesville.blogspot.com/2005/11/transmission-times-in-sydney.html
  | date = 3 November 2005
  | access-date = 2007-07-12
}}</ref>

The Central Coast Amateur Radio Club also has an amateur television repeater (VK2RTG) on Channel 16.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Central Coast Amateur Radio Club
  | publisher = CCARC
  | url = http://www.ccarc.org.au/
  | access-date = 2007-07-12
}}</ref>

VK2RTS broadcasts from Lawson near Katoomba on Channel 16. Club activity is on Mondays between 8 and 10p.m.
A Voice liaison and control frequency of 147.325&nbsp;MHz (+600&nbsp;kHz duplex) is used.

VK2RFM broadcasts from Oakdale near Camden on 1250&nbsp;MHz FM which can be viewed with an analog satellite receiver.
Club activity is Tuesdays between 8 and 10p.m. The liaison and control frequency is 147.400&nbsp;MHz simplex.

Both repeaters cover the entire Sydney basin. They are operated by the Sydney Amateur Television Group and may be activated and used at any time from the control channels.
<ref>{{cite web
 |title        = Sydney Amateur Television Group
 |publisher    = SATVG
 |url          = http://www.satvg.org
 |access-date   = 2007-12-03
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071130185832/http://www.satvg.org/
 |archive-date = 30 November 2007
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref>

UHF TV Channel 35 was used until July 2001 when the [[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] reassigned the channel for digital television.

===Victoria (2 Digital ATV Channels) ===
VK3RTV is Melbourne's main amateur television station, and is available via Channel 16 at the lower end of the UHF TV Band (below channel 28). The amateur television repeater is located on Mount Dandenong.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Melbourne Amateur TV Group
  | publisher = VK3RTV Online
  | url = http://geocities.com/vk3rtv/
  | access-date = 2007-07-12
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090729125433/http://geocities.com/vk3rtv/|archive-date=29 July 2009}}</ref>

There are a small number of amateur television enthusiasts (amateur radio operators with Television transmitting equipment) who transmit to Melbourne and surrounds via VK3RTV.

These include VK3AAZ, VK3AOB, VK3AGJ, VK3BFG, VK3BCU, VK3CH, VK3CRG, VK3FMD, VK3GMZ, VK3IV, VK3JDA, VK3JDG, VK3KBL, VK3KHB, VK3KOS, VK3LA, VK3MN, VK3PB, VK3TMS, VK3TVZ, VK3XOK, VK3XKD and VK3XZA.<ref name="VK3KHB">{{cite web|title=VK3KHB's TV Broadcasts |publisher=Amateur Radio & Television |url=http://www.gak.net.au/vk3khb/vk3khb.htm |access-date=2007-07-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070617031630/http://www.gak.net.au/vk3khb/vk3khb.htm |archive-date=17 June 2007 }}</ref>

VK3RTV is now a 2-channel digital television facility on 446&nbsp;MHz. The new system features two standard definition digital channels.

Bendigo in Central Victoria also has an Amateur Television Transmitter (VK3RBO) on the 13&nbsp;cm band. This can be received using surplus microwave dishes and downconverters. The station is known to show episodes of the Amateur Television Program 'Amateurlogic'.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = What you need to receive VK3RBO ATV
  | publisher = Unknown
  | url = http://www.users.on.net/~bcr/atv/atv.html
  | access-date = 5 January 2009
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110607152804/http://www.users.on.net/~bcr/atv/atv.html
  | archive-date = 7 June 2011
  }}</ref>

===Queensland===

Amateur television in Queensland had its beginnings in the late 1970s, after a group of local Ham radio enthusiasts showed interests in setting up their own television repeater, although this would not occur until the 1980s. For several years, broadcasters had to rely on a low-powered repeater located in Brisbane's northern suburbs, but eventually permissions were granted to have a more advanced and more central repeater constructed within the inner-city suburb of [[Spring Hill, Queensland|Spring Hill]].<ref>{{cite web|title=South East Queensland Amateur Television Group – History |url=http://www.qdg.org.au/seqatvh.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912071909/http://qdg.org.au/seqatvh.htm |archive-date=12 September 2009 }}</ref>

In 1990, Brisbane's Amateur Television club provided a two-way television system for [[Lamington National Park]] during the park's 75th anniversary celebrations. In October that year, amateur television history was made when broadcasters VK4BOB and VK4XRL transmitted video to Sydney's ATV clubs which was relayed by the [[AUSSAT]] satellite.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Brief History of ATV in Brisbane|url=http://members.optusnet.com.au/~cardenrj/A%20Brief%20History%20of%20ATV%20in%20Brisbane.pdf}}{{dead link|date=May 2014}}</ref>

Various transmitters continue to broadcast to this day. Some Queensland ATV transmitters are located in the outer-Brisbane suburbs of [[Ocean View, Queensland|Ocean View]] and [[Wamuran]]. In November 2012, the Ocean View site will begin its first digital transmission test.<ref>{{cite web|title=South East Queensland ATV Group |url=http://www.qdg.org.au/seqatv.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912061330/http://qdg.org.au/seqatv.htm |archive-date=12 September 2009 }}</ref>

In 2014, the Spring Hill repeater was demolished.

==See also==
{{Portal|Television|Australia}}
* [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]
* [[History of broadcasting in Australia]]
* [[List of people in communications and media in Australia]]
* [[List of radio stations in Australia]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="notes"}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Television in Australia}}

{{Oceania topic|List of television stations in}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Television Broadcasting in Australia}}
[[Category:Television in Australia]]
[[Category:History of television in Australia]]