0/5

GEM misses starting time

It was cheekily promised to screen before 7mate's launch, but GEM fails to arrive as promised today.

Nine’s new digital channel GEM has missed it’s promised starting time of 12 midday today.

The channel, aimed at women over 35, was due to “soft-launch” with classic movie Singin’ ‘in the Rain.

But at midday Channel 90 was still simulcasting the Nine signal, showing The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

A Nine spokesperson told  TV Tonight the channel will now arrive as per its official launch, 6am Sunday morning.

Nine was understood to be working up until the eleventh hour to get the channel to air today but technical issues with a playout centre in Newcastle meant it could not arrive on time.

GEM was cheekily planned by Nine to hit screens ahead of 7mate’s official launch tomorrow.

Fans of NRL will be able to see games in HD before Sunday as a result of GEM’s late delivery.

70 Responses

  1. Has everyone on here forgot the sheer success of Go! Which is channel nine! It is the most successful multi channel yet. Sure I think Gem has started a little slowly without any promotion which is dissapointing but I’m sure this is just a soft launch and they will have a big promo for it in the near future. I think it’s funny that so many people complain it’s more choice than we have ever had before and it costs us nothing

  2. Nine said from the outset that their stations would be stand-alone – why can’t any of you whingers carrying on about “no cross promotion” etc understand that?

    The name GEM has been whispered about for months – yes months – so it’s not a hastily-cobbled together attempt at a TV station.

    Sheez…….

  3. @s5000 @FJ The commercial networks are allowed 2xSD and 1xHD channel under legislation. The catch is, their analogue channel *must* be simulcast in SD. Therefore, they’ve had (for example) Nine (SD) + 9HD + Go! …so to add GEM, they have to make it HD (or they could have chosen to make Go! HD and GEM SD).

    Don’t worry tho… only three years to go until analogue gets shut down and the govt restrictions go out the window. Only then will it be possible for Nine to go HD and its lesser siblings SD.

  4. Seven has always been Pros at cross-promoting, you just have to watch an episode of Sunrise or The Morning Show to see that… and why not!? its a dog-eat-dog world in the media industry…

  5. Who care’s when GEM launches? The program lineup looks like a lot of repeats and no strategy to reach their planned target audience. At least 7mate – as pathetic as the name is, has a strategy and know how to prepare for a launch.

  6. I just think 7 is doing a better job at cross promoting there 3 channels with the main one showing promos for 7Mate and 7Two regularly, this informs their viewers there is something new coming and might promote those still on analogue to go out and upgrade their TVs. TEN promotes it’s ONE HD shows during Sports Tonight and I’m sure I’ve seen ABC and SBS both promote there other channels but I’m hard pressed to remember seeing Nine do like wise, outside of the News, chat shows and ACA.

    @FJ – All the networks can’t have their main channel in HD as this will stop a large number of people from having access when they when out and bought SD set top boxes, also until recently most PVRs where SD so there are 1000s of those in homes.

  7. @ Ronnie – Les Sampson the guy who got the really catchy go theme song going and runs go will be in charge of GEM

    @s5000 – New Adventures of Old Christine will be in native HD which is 1080 i HD . Most shows in the guides that are in HD provided by Nine have the words “HD” next to them.

    @ Andy – The name GEM was registered months ago, For all we know Nine may have known Seven’s plans ages ago and visa versa. Anyone who thinks channels are created in 1 month is in la la land.

    Shows like Wife Swap are still in 4:3 ratio and probably not in HD.

    Weeds will be in native HD as will The Big C. And csi etc etc.

    People can complain as much as they like about Nine, but if you think about it out of all the channels there ones at least have unique names from the main channel. Abc and sbs are just abc 1 sbs 1 etc, ch 10 just names their channels after numbers and seven’s channels are named with the number 7 in front of them.

    Nine, by not promoting their multi channels on their main channel, and also having unique names not related to their main channel eg GO or GEM are at least creating a separate brand.

    Where they fail (the only place I find a failure) is when shows like 2.5men plug a hole on GO! Big Bang Theory is ok as it is more youth skewing, but 2.5 men to me just seems out of place on GO!.

  8. @Daniel: Completely agree. Top Gear is another that’s keeping 9 afloat as well although I don’t watch it. Channel 7’s a little more bearable. I just don’t get 9 at all!

  9. It’s in HD because all networks are legally required to broadcast at least one channel in high definition. I believe all commercial networks don’t have enough bandwidth (at this point in time) to broadcast three SD channels.

  10. This is Nine without Packer. He had an impact on the network. If he were there yes, they would have channel viable of winning every time.
    I just don’t see this one I mean ACA had a story and said Gordon f#$@ing Ramsey would be on their with his lighter toned F Word! Good grief they expect over 35’s to hear his clap trap! My mum won’t have a bit of his foul mouth!
    I don’t see CSI either. I mean it’s for women, not men! I also feel two 1/2 men will get here.
    Maybe Julie Goodwin might be a better choice than what they have offered as a cooking show at 9am weekdays. That was on Nine after Fresh was chopped out and well it never lasted. Lest see this one get a fry up.
    I think this is no GEM, not even a rare GEM!

  11. @s5000

    Good Question. Why don’t they make 7 and 9 HD and GEM and 7Mate SD. This country just keeps going backwards. Who on Earth buys a SDTV these days 😕

    There is nothing on either of these new channels that interests me.

Leave a Reply