Tasmania govt wants answers on ONE
The Tassie govt wants answers about when ONE will launch, concerned viewers have been misled over the arrival of Freeview.
- Published by David Knox
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‘The Apple Isle’ is getting rotten about the state of digital television with the government demanding a clear answer about the launch of ONE.
The 24 hour sports channel launches tomorrow to TEN’s network stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Elsewhere, confusion has reigned.
Tasmanian’s Minister for Corrections and Consumer Protection, Lisa Singh has demanded answers on why there are doubts about Tasmanian TV viewers getting the new 24-hour sports channel ONE as part of the Freeview Service.
Ms Singh wrote to Tasmanian Digital Television asking the company to clarify the future of the broadcasting of ONE.
“My concern is that Tasmanian viewers have been led to believe that ONE would be available to them.
“Advertising for the Freeview package has been broadcast in Tasmania for a period of months, and has clearly implied to Tasmanian viewers that ONE was to become available in the state.
“Now there is uncertainty about the roll-out of Freeview and, specifically, the broadcast of ONE in Tasmania,” she said.
“As Minister responsible for Consumer Protection, I would be concerned if Tasmanian consumers have been misled about the availability of the service.
“I’ve been told of Tasmanian consumers buying digital set-top boxes or other equipment in anticipation of the service.
“I want the company to state clearly whether Tasmanians can expect free-to-view television services comparable to the rest of Australia or whether Tasmania is to be left off the map.”
It is somewhat alarming that the Tasmanian Government has only taken action on this confusion at minutes to midnight.
Earlier this week TDT general manager Stephen Giles said it was not known when, or even if, the new channel would air in Tasmania.
“As it stands today, TDT is still negotiating with Network 10 for the rights to ONE,” Mr Giles told The Mercury.
Southern Cross Television Chief Operating Officer Greg Dodgson confirmed to TV Tonight last week that he expected Tasmanian viewers to receive ONE HD at the same time as other SC regional viewers: the middle of the year.
In response to the Minister’s demands yesterday, Dodgson acknowledged, “A few negotiations between now and then need to take place.”
Source: tas.gov.au
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31 Responses
I recon they should have the one HD in Tasmania it will be a good Idea and we have got heaps interested in Sport over here
Who can tape it on the mainland and post it on the internet so regional viewers can see more than one game? If Ten won’t bother to distribute their content to regional areas, perhaps the internet can help?
The consipracy theorist in me is thinking the fact TDT has had no/little signal all night suggests something aint quite right!
It’s a Sham! I agree that ONE should’ve truly gone national from tomorrow night; they could’ve at least offered the seperate Northern states variant in the clear on the Aurora satellite platform. Now, a state like Tasmania and lots of mainland rural communities – especially those with a rich local Aussie Rules heritage – are going to be without a new free-to-air digital television service that would’ve been highly beneficial, not only for them, but for the whole of the Australian sporting community.
I don’t think i will be buying a ticket, just look at the price. For $1195 I can buy a plane ticket to another country and watch hundreds of free channels.
Get ready ? Get excited ?
Registration Fee: $1195 (Incl. Gst) Per Person
Tertiary Student, Teacher And Lecturer Registration Fee: $597.50 (Incl. Gst) Per Person
Well it’s not pitched at the viewer. Conferences in many industries cost a lot to register. We’re getting off subject here….
A digital disaster.
Lisa Singh is a joke. Why has she acted now – purely to do something for the first time since she got her position – and for votes. This has been going on for ages, and to finally make a move on the even of the mainland launch is plain stupidity.
Lets hope all the talk then becomes action. Still, there has been enough warning so why wait till after the last minute after ONE launches?
Thanks for the updates on WIN HD – though I remember recently seeing a few posts on tvtonight commenting about scenery on WIN HD same as SC10 does. Maybe different areas have started HD break aways like 9 does – which is good to hear.
Will the public be invited to the Conference to have their say?
Tix are a coupla hundred if you’re that keen.
@David-What digital conference?
And great stuff Lisa Singh etc. keep it up!
Get Ready for Digital Conference is at the Sydney Hilton next Monday and Tuesday with all the big guns speaking.
i’ve always thought the government needs to get involved with this, just like they had to with telstra bringing services to the bush. the government can set conditions on their broadcasting license and providing full digital services to the whole country should be made a condition, if their ability to broadcast is under threat they’ll get their act together quick smart.
I concur with Gremlin – WINHD in Townsville have been showing AFL Footy Show ” live “, Hotel Babylon and Footy Classified as part of their breakaway programming.
Also how good does Samantha Heathwood ( WIN News ) look in digital widescreen.
An average poor viewer doesn’t even know what the hell is going on with digital tv, or freeview
Its become a complete joke
Perhaps the federal government should step in and explain it all.
Expect more articles next week with a Digital conference happening.
How hard is it to roll it out to one extra state. That’s hardly fair. I mean, wasn’t Freeview originally meant to come out in Jan, and then Feb, and then March?? Now whenever the hell they feel like it??
Regional viewers have been “left out” since the beginging of the so-called multi-channelling” start-up at the end of 2007, with TenHD not being available. SC10 has always said that it will be available “mid year” or “late in the year” the most recent (for TenHD) was end of February. Now OneHD will be the middle of the year…come on enough is enough. Seven/Prime can do it, Nine/Win can do it what’s up with 10/SC10
Why can’t Victoria not have it too, that’s unfair..
@andrewb your completely right the networks and affiliates should make it one of their top prioritys when launching a new channel that its available to to all viewers not just hose in the five largest cities, i live in Melbourne but i can see why those in out side the five largest capitals get annoyed especially when your giving the impression that one is going to launch the same time in your area as everyone else, its also good to see the Tasmanian government publicly condemning ten.
Andrew B – WIN has also been showing Nine’s breakaway HD programming for over a year now.
It may or may not be true that the cost of providing the new channels to low population places (like Tas) is cost prohibitive.
Regardless, it is pretty ordinary to trumpet for months the new channels on TV and then say after the fact, “nope too expensive.”
To me, that’s just blatant misrepresentation.
Until the regionals and metro stations start working closer together, this sort of stuff will continue. A 10 affilliate should automatically have the rights to 10 content (and thus ONE HD) and they should have got this sorted long before March 26 – tomorrow. We’ll see this happen again with 9SD2 later this year with WIN and NBN unless they all start working together. Prime is only regional to offer HD break away programming.
Only if you realised her other portfolio, Corrections!
She is trying her darndest to get this injustice corrected.
Freeview seems like it is going way of Beta !
and Ten despite heavy promotion look like they failed test of “delivering product with One
Why can’t ONE HD be available for regional areas via Austar until the local FTA stations get up and running? It wouldn’t be in HD but at least we would have access to it because it could be months before it comes to some areas.
The fiasco continues……..
“I’ve been told of Tasmanian consumers buying digital set-top boxes or other equipment in anticipation of the service.”
Well, I’ve been told of consumers around Australia buying digital set-top boxes or other equipment in anticipation of TenHD last year. Those people, needless to say, got screwed.