Freeview channel update

From January 1 our commercial Free to Air broadcasters are allowed to transmit a second, digital channel as we barrel headlong towards Freeview.

We’re still waiting for confirmation on what Nine and Seven will programme. Yesterday an article in News Limited newspapers gave us a bit of a progress report on network plans.

As we know TEN intends to launch ONE HD from April with 24 hr sports, leaving its current TEN HD to become the second digital channel, which will re-broadcast the ONE content in SD digital. Again, this spells doom for those who currently enjoy watching dramas, comedy and other TEN shows in high definition. The network simply hasn’t fessed up on this black hole of programming.

It’s staggering to believe that in 2009 the network won’t be offering shows like NCIS, House, Idol, Neighbours and Rush in high definition. Similarly, alternate shows such as Battlestar Galactica and other TEN HD dramas are hanging in limbo until we hear where they will move.

Here’s some other excerpts from the article on where the networks are at:

TEN
Ten was the first commercial station to announce its plans for Australia’s first new commercial multi-channel – a 24-hour sports network called ONE expected to broadcast from April. Highlights will include:

• AFL (the 2009 NAB Cup, home and away season and finals, with the grand final returning in 2009);
• 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games;
• NASCAR (live coverage of Daytona 500 and Nationwide Series);
• Cricket (Indian Premier League matches);
• Golf (US Masters, US Open, Australian PGA, Ladies Masters);
• Also netball, swimming, tennis, Formula 1, NFL and the NBA.

“We see a first-mover advantage because we’re first in the market with a sports channel,” said Ten chief executive Grant Blackley. “We chose a genre where viewers would know exactly what they’re getting and we’ve picked all the crown jewels. I don’t think anyone could duplicate a sports channel with ease.

NINE
The Nine Network says its new multi-channel concept is a ‘work in progress’. “We’ll announce what we’re doing some time in the next couple of weeks,” said Les Sampson, director of acquisitions. “But our plans are definitely to launch in 2009.”

Industry sources speculated that Nine was considering launching a news or classics multi-channel. Mr Sampson confirmed Nine had looked at these options and a range of others, including lifestyle, reality and recent movies. “Nothing’s been finalised,” he said.

SEVEN
Seven is the most coy about its multi-channel plans. “We’re committed to multi-channelling. We’re ready. We’ll announce our plans shortly,” said a spokesperson.

Senior industry sources, however, say that Seven had a lifestyle channel in the pipeline that may have been overtaken by a recent seven-year deal between Foxtel and the BBC over premium lifestyle content.  Other options mooted by Seven were allegedly a Plus-Two multi-channel that re-broadcasts content on the main channel two hours later.

“Plus-Two is a very popular option,” said a senior source, who declined to be named. “The only problem is that, in my view, it’s the best way to cannibalise your audience.”

ABC
The ABC is in advanced talks with the Government about a children’s channel (working title: ABC3), to be launched within six months of the May Budget. The new standard-definition channel would broadcast from 6am to 9pm and feature drama, factual, documentaries and entertainment.

“The commitment we’ve made to the Government is that it would be 50 per cent Australian content within a few years,” said Mr Dalton. “The final decision is theirs, but we’re having quite detailed and positive discussions about it.”

Mr Dalton said the broadcaster had also put forward the idea of a 24-hour news channel.

SBS
Like the ABC, SBS already has a second standard-definition channel, SBS2, which broadcasts a partial foreign news service. In 2009, SBS hopes to upgrade it to a full comprehensive channel (working title: SBS World) to also feature international movies, drama, foreign language children’s programs and new Australian content.

“We’ve put a proposal to the Government that includes a full second channel initially and then possibly up to two more,” said SBS director of strategy and communications Bruce Marr.

Source: news.com.au