VAST service extended to 2021
Satellite reception service for remote TV viewers gets another $10m in funding.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
The VAST service, offering television reception for remote and blackspot locations, has been extended until 2021 with a further $10m in funding.
Viewer Access Satellite Television was introduced in 2010 to around 500,000 Australian viewers as part of the national switchover to digital television.
Minister for Regional Services, Bridget McKenzie said, “Many Australians living in our regions rely on this service, and the Government’s investment will provide the peace of mind that their service will continue,” Minister McKenzie said.
“Television is a vital entertainment and information service that all Australians should have access to.”
“VAST ensures that regional Australians can receive reliable free-to-air television broadcasts so that we can all share and participate in cultural, education and social experiences.”
Free TV CEO, Bridget Fair said “This announcement is great news for the people of regional and remote Australia. Commercial television is a critical source of local content, emergency information and news services for all Australians but particularly those served by the VAST platform. Our services provide a much needed sense of connection for people in rural and remote areas. We congratulate Minister McKenzie and the Morrison Government on this decision which will be welcomed by the almost 500,000 Australians who rely on the VAST platform for their free television services.
“We note that it is a key recommendation of the review that the service should continue to be delivered through the current satellite delivery model. Free TV looks forward to continuing discussions about future delivery of the VAST television services post 2021.”
The announcement follows a review of the VAST service.
7 Responses
Good news for those who use it! Hopefully they can carry HD channels and the new multichannels (7Flix, 7Food, 9Life etc) soon
wonder if the main channels will ever go HD eg Imparja
Less repeated channels so we could receive one full set of all possible channels , would be nice. pretty please.
It’s good that the government is continuing services for TV black spot and remote areas. Digital TV has provided clearer pictures and better audio, however, the distance that signals can be transmitted with digital signals is not as far as it used to be with analog signals. Since analog television was decommissioned in Australia, more people have had to rely on VAST.
Correct, but there are other factors that affects digital television such as weather (for example, with my TV, whenever there is bad weather where I live – which is Melbourne -, I cannot get ABC). And a couple of years ago, there were problems with reception in Gippsland in which people were having trouble with digital television, mostly with devices and LCD lighting. And that is on top of the fact that digital television signals doesn’t travel as far as analogue signals that you mentioned.
And they don’t “penetrate” or “wrap around” terrain like analogue. Between Wollongong NSW and the Vic border there were 5 analogue transmission sites. There are now 9 digital transmission sites, but coverage is now nowhere as good as it was with analogue.
indigo you might benefit from a new antenna. If your old one is designed for VHF 2 and ABC is now on VHF 12 then yes it will struggle to receive it well. Or you may even get better results with a UHF only antenna depending on your location and nearest transmitters.