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TEN delays new channel

TEN's new digital channel is pushed out to 2011 according to a report today.

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TEN Network chief executive Grant Blackley tells The Australian Financial Review that TEN will not introduce its new digital channel until 2011.

“Our enthusiasm has not waned, but we need to ensure it is well-crafted and will be profitable,” he said.

TEN had previously announced a third channel at its 2010 Programming Launch late last year and subsequently indicated it would arrive in the second half of 2010.

Today’s news is a blow to viewers hoping to see programmes that have disappeared from its main channel, with expectations the new channel will be an entertainment-based offering. But Blackley also does not confirm this.

The newspaper adds neither Nine nor Seven are rushing to introduce their new channels.

Nine CEO David Gyngell also confirmed a third channel for the network at its 2010 Programme Launch.

The ABC will launch its fourth channel mid-year.

Source: Aust Fin. Review, Mediaweek, Crikey

37 Responses

  1. In other words – ONE-HD will remain simulcast on “Ten-SD2” for another few more months (complete with a boring ID slide reminding viewers to switch back to ONE-HD or the main channel to watch certain ONE-HD sports events). Great! You know, I was thinking, why doesn’t Southern Cross (being Ten’s biggest affiliate) come to the rescue and put together a national entertainment channel? Then they offer this new channel to Ten in order to meet the network’s SD multi-channel programming needs, the idea being that a) Ten will only need to focus on their main channel and ONE-HD; b) It would save Ten even more money in the long-term, and c) it would strengthen the Southern Cross brand and give its owners more clout in the digital multi-channel market, even if this brand is supplemented with an additional thematic brand-element, eg, “Southern Cross News”, “Southern Cross Movies”, “Southern Cross Gold”, “Southern Cross Home & Garden” etc (the possibilities here are endless).

  5. Sorry Paull, perhaps I wasn’t clear – I meant regarding changing to MPEG-4. As most current devices are only MPEG-2 so it would require simulcasting in both.

  6. Look, I’m disappointed but I’m thankful that Ten are making much more of an effort with their digital channel(s) than Seven and Nine, and at least they have set a date.

  9. Just hope that 7 and 9 don’t delay their 3rd channel until 2011.

    @David S thanks for that informative comment ,My picture quality on the ABC SD channels is quite good,i for one don’t mind extra SD channels in preference extra HD channels

  10. Boo channel ten!! you suck, seriously!! you take off shows after 2 or 3 weeks and don’t return them for ages, a lot of those shows are low rating, mainly because of the bad timeslots, great shows like ‘The Shield’ are played after midnight or during the day, you would much rather play Good News Week instead of something thats actually good like ‘Supernatual’. seriously, the people in programming are mental!!

    I was really looking forward to the new channel, it should have been launched in April last year instead of One HD. plis, you had plenty of time to come up with a schedule for the new channel, what the hell is wrong with you?? the channel better be on the air January 1st 2011 Mother F’ers!!

  11. @Reubot:
    ” two channels per network is enough for me… Ten should broaden it’s sports channel to include documentaries, rather than launch another channel. The other networks should also focus on improving their existing channels, instead of adding more. ”

    basically reiterating what I said before, the networks should stick with their current 2 channel set up and focus on making them better in terms of quality programming. I wasn’t suggesting they try and get more bandwidth to increase picture
    clairty.

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