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Channel 72: November or February?

Seven executives are reportedly undecided as to whether to its digital channel launch in late November or in February 2010.

februaryAccording to the lastest media speculation on Seven’s forthcoming digital channel, executives are reportedly undecided as to whether a launch in late November or in February 2010.

February would see it launch off the back of the Australian Open, and around the same time as Nine’s Winter Olympics (second week of 2010 ratings).

There are just under two weeks before Seven is due to announce the name and content of  the new channel, according to The Australian Financial Review.

The channel is due to launch on 72, but there have been ongoing and contradictory reports about its likely name and content.

Seven has just lost its fifth ratings week since Nine has launched its GO! channel. On January 1st commercial networks were permitted to broadcast 2 SD channels & 1 HD channel.

Media buying groups have reportedly urged Seven to make 72 available prior to talks on advertising rates for 2010.

Source: Business Spectator

44 Responses

  1. Well, now Feb 23 2010 and all the digital channels are broadcasting in Melbourne, but all commercials still running up to 15 minutes late on advertised scheds, and unstable picture makes viewing next to impossible. What a waste of time, money and frequency spectrum!

  2. I was unaware of Channel 72 until a friend came around and told us it was available. I would never have known it was available. there has been no advertising on 7 showing the new channel was operating. Let’s just home they don’t show repeats and actually start programs on time. Not 10-15 minutes after their advertised starting time.

  3. We live on the mid north coast of n.s.w. And i am having
    trouble tuning in the new 72 channel, on my new lcd t.v. Is it here yet ?? Or is it only for the city folk

  4. Night time programming from 6PM on Channel 72 should include anime, even Adults enjoy watching anime, there are those out there that will enjoy anime! I’ve waited a long time for more anime on Australian TV and so too people who go to Manifest Melbourne, Avcon Adelaide, Supanova Melbourne, Supanova Perth, Supanova Sydney, and Supanova Brisbane. Philippines TV has always had good anime programming especially on TV5, so I hope Channel 72 will have anime mixed in with the other shows during the day! I’m only 20. Some Anime should be in the 0600 to 0830 timeslot in the morning that’ll get kids & teens away from ABC1 & Network 10 & GO have them watching Channel 72! You can do it Network Seven! It’ll be great for your overall ratings!

  5. @Craig & everybody

    Please ignore the updated Freeview website. Some of the info is misleading.

    I again strongly insist GO! does not exist in Darwin yet. I can honestly confirm that LCN 99 does not exist in Darwin yet. If you have realitives in Darwin ask them to test the set top boxes to look at Darwin channels. Also refer to the yahoo TV guide website and search Darwin and see what I mean.

    I wish to add that DDT Ten does not exist on LCN 5 or 50 as stated in Freeview, instead the DDT SD is on LCN 10 and DDT HD is on LCN 1 here in Darwin. I have clarified the information set down by southern sources.

    It is very sad to note the city vs country and north vs south mentality still exists today as was the case in the past.

  6. Freeview… but only if you live in the east coast in a major population area…

    This is the precise reason all FTA channels should be re-broadcast on Austar for those in remote areas (and some not so remote areas)

  7. @William Walker:Wow I can’t believe they’re still showing the loop! That’s pretty bad, they need to pick up their game. Also it’s not good enough that Nine Australia hasn’t organised for GO! to launch in darwin. So much for ‘Freeview’

  8. @Paull
    Yes I can confirm that the SC 10 HD nature loop still exists on DDT HD 24/7. Not even a program can be shown on DDT HD. Also I can confirm that GO! does not yet exist in Darwin hence LCN 99 does not exist yet. Nine can be shown on LCN 9 (SD) and 90 (HD)

    @barrett
    SC (a 7 regional station here in Darwin) has not yet announced plans for a 2nd 7 network station here. So it is unlikely that Prime and SC will announce it soon. Prime views in the east might be lucky, but don’t count on it.

  9. @William Walker: I live in sydney but I have deep sympathy for regional areas, darwin and other places that don’t get equal treatment when it comes to the launch of new digital tv channels. I think it’s ridiculous that regional viewers had to wait more than 3 months to get One HD, and even more ridiculous that Darwin still doesn’t have it (from what I’ve heard). It’s a pity that the 3 main commercial networks (and their regional affiliates) in australia seem to care so little for their market.

  10. Seven have lost weeks and weeks of ratings because of Nine and GO! combining for victories. I think that the fact they are separate channels to begin with its absurd to join the shares at all. But i have to say launching now could be a bad thing. Its a little late in the year and well it does make sense to launch after what can be a huge promotional push from the Australian Open Tennis.

    Hell why not put other tennis matches besides the centre court matches shown on the primary channel on the 2nd channel and that be the launch. Are they allowed to do this though? I mean they have the rights and all and i have been hearing about them possibly putting it on their second digital channel before.

    Still strategically it makes more sense now to launch in Feb. Also i have heard that they might even launch their third channel at the same time. With them getting ahead of the others.

  11. I would prefer the channel to be delayed to give the people down south a real good idea of what it is like to wait for a new extra channel. Darwinites, regional SA, regional NT and regional WA viewers have to wait for ONE HD, GO! and possibly the 2nd channel from Seven, so it can’t possibly hurt for southerners to experience a delay in getting the new channel. Given the constant whinging about TEN HD, ONE HD and GO! from southerners, maybe a delay in the channel would help to reduce the whinging from southerners.

  12. the thing is 7 have always played heaps low rating shows over summer, so they are probably thinking if they were gonna launch the channel in late november, then they wouldn’t have much to screen on 72 at the same time over summer.

  13. I’m sure there will be some sort of semi-launch in Nov, simply because they’ve axed 7HD right before it’s second birthday.

    It’s funny how all 3 HD channels only really lasted a bit over their first year. (well not funny, more disappointing because it’s a reflection on how networks feel about their viewers). At least 10 continued with OneHD

  14. Ch9 already had GO catering to the sitcoms & Ch10 have ONE for the Sports fans.

    I’m hoping that Ch7 joins up with Discovery Channel / Animal Planet / History Channel. Would be great for Ch7’s new channel to have shows like Amazing Race, Megabuilders, Junkyard Wars, Future Weapons etc.

    It is surprising that there are very few Video Game / Technolgy related show aired, especially with the Video Games industry now grossing higher than the movie and music industry.

  15. Tired of all these reports. How hard is it to make a decision? 7 Two? How original and creative lol.

    If they are really struggling to make a decision then why on earth did they stop their 7HD breakaways then? A soft launch now (Nov) and then a full time sometime in the next 10 years. 🙂

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