ISSUES CONCERNING TELEVISION IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
ATTENTION EVERYBODY IN DARWIN, PALMERSTON AND RURAL AREA - 7 TWO LAUNCHING ON DECEMBER 1 2009 AT 7 PM - PLEASE RESCAN SET TOP BOXES AND DIGITAL TV SETS TO SEE THE NEW FREEVIEW SERVICE
People that have already rescanned their boxes or digital TV over the week leading to December 1 do not need to rescan their boxes or digital TV. Please note 7 TWO is only available in digital SD format so a set top box or a digital TV is required to view 7 TWO as in the case of Channel TEN in Darwin. People who have yet to scan their boxes will see a list of Southern cross channels that will look like this:
LCN 7 "SCTV Darwin"
LCN 70 "SCTV HD"
LCN 77 "SCTV"
From now on the SCTV Darwin LCNs after a rescan will look like this:
LCN 7 "SCTV Darwin"
LCN 70 "SCTV HD"
LCN 72 "7 TWO Darwin"
It means that LCN 77 is gone after a rescan and replaced by LCN 72. Even though LCN 77 still exist I don't know how long LCN 77 will last for so it may be wise to rescan box or digital TV in case.
Because 7 Two is in SD format, a HD set top box or digital TV is not required but it is ideal to get a HD set top box or digital TV with inbuilt HD tuner to get additional freeview channels such as 7 TWO. But people without a box or digital TV are out of luck given that 7 TWO is only a digital television service.
WHEN GO! CHANNEL FROM NINE NETWORK ARRIVES IN DARWIN (SOMETIME IN 2010 OR LATER) PEOPLE WILL NEED TO RESCAN THEIR BOXES AND DIGITAL TV SETS AGAIN
It is unknown when the Nine Network's GO! channel is coming to Darwin but it is possible it will come sometime in 2010 or later, but when it comes people will need to set their boxes and digital TV again. The Nine Network's LCN looks like this:
LCN "9 Nine Darwin"
LCN "90 Nine HD"
When GO! arrives in Darwin possibly sometime in 2010 or later the LCNs will look like this:
LCN 9 "Nine Darwin"
LCN 90 "Nine HD"
LCN 99 "GO! Channel", "GO! Darwin" or something like that
Again GO! is in SD format so the rules to get 7 TWO will also apply to receiving GO! Again it is a digital only channel meaning a box and digital TV is required.
NO RESCANNING IS NECESSARY TO RECEIVE ONE HD (WHEN IT ARRIVES IN DARWIN POSSIBLY IN 2010 OR LATER) AND ABC 3 (DUE 4 DECEMBER 2009)
LCN 23 already exists and that is the LCN for ABC 3, again a SD channel, and LCN 1 which also already exist is a placeholder for ONE HD, Ten Network sports channel. To receive ONE HD, a HD set top box is a must as well as a digital TV with HD tuner. If you only have a SD box or SD digital TV, you cannot see ONE HD.
WELCOME 7 TWO TO DARWIN!
In response to the reports of NT News I would like to take the time to thank Southern Cross Television for the announcement and plans to bring 7 Two, the first of extra Freeview channels to come to the Northern Territory due to start in early December 2009 together with ABC 3, a channel designed for kids to watch. The announcement is a much needed godsend for Darwin digital television viewers who were previously snubbed and missed out on the debut of GO! and ONE HD whom the respective networks started their channels some months back. I'm confident that the new Freeview extra channels over time will help to boost digital TV sales in the Northern Territory particularly the Top End.
ISSUES RELATED TO TELEVISION OUTSIDE DARWIN
IS IMPARJA TELEVISION REALLY LISTENING TO IT'S VIEWERS?
Why doesn't Imparja show TEN programs? It can't even show TEN programs now? Why?
It would be much better if WIN or PBL Media buy Imparja because Imparja does not listen to their viewers.
WIN WA can show TEN and NINE network programs on the satellite. Why cannot Imparja?
Is Imparja really that serious about digital TV? Is it really that serious about a joint venture bringing TEN network programs?
WHY WAS IMPARJA NATIONAL NEWS AXED?
Up to 2008 Imparja National News were shown in Central Australia, why was that news service axed?
Is it because Imparja claims that it is too expensive to run the news service using digital TV as a excuse? To me there was nothing wrong with the 2006 version of Imparja News. It looked okay to me, so why did Imparja throw it out?
Why wasn't Imparja penalised for not beaming local news?
Having both Brisbane and Darwin Nine News and omitting ACA does not make any sense to me. Would it be far better to have Imparja National News and A Current affair?
DOES SOUTHERN CROSS CENTRAL SHOW TEN PROGRAMS AND IF NOT WHY NOT?
What is stopping Southern Cross Central from not showing TEN programs? Before Darwin Digital Television came along Southern Cross Darwin used to show TEN programs as well as SEVEN Network programs, so probably Southern Cross Central could do the same before a joint venture comes along.
Why doesn't Southern Cross Central do so?
CENTRAL AUSTRALIA UNLIKELY TO CONVERT TO DIGITAL UNTIL JUST BEFORE DIGITAL CHANGE OVER DUE DATE
I wish to correct the claims about the dates for Central Australia and Alice springs when digital TV will commence from the commerical networks. As far as I am aware both Imparja and southern cross central has not yet announced final plans to convert to digital, and are unlikely to do so until a year or two before the due date when the old signal is turned off and replaced by digital. It will mean that Imparja and Southern Cross central will NOT go digital until about 2012 or 2013.
I wish to correct the quote made by the NT News. The quote is as follows:
CITY AND COUNTRY TELEVISION WILL NEVER BE THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT
In response to comments made on TV forums calling for TV to be the same in city and country (I used to be one of them but now I'm a realist), I concede that it will be virtually impossible for commercial television stations to be the same in the city and country with virtually the same services at the same time. There will never be 3 single large commercial networks. The 75% ownership rules do not allow this. Whether we like it or not there will always be some areas which will be better off and other areas which will be worse off. No matter how hard we try to make city and country television we will never be able to. It's just impossible. We all have to accept the fact that networks can make unpopular decisions at the time whether we like it or not. Sometimes I can watch boring television with not much choice but at least it is free to watch.
How would people feel if they have to pay to watch Nine, GO!, Southern cross TV, WIN, GWN, TEN, ONE HD, etc? People are currently not being charged to watch Nine, WIN or any of the commercial stations. Sure sometimes the services are crap and we can be disappointed at times but it is free after all. At the end of the day it's only television.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
REASONS FOR LOBBYING FOR EXTRA FREEVIEW CHANNELS IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
The reason why I lobbied hard to get the channels is NOT for me or myself. I was speaking from a typical Darwinite point of view simply because there is no other posters to lobby for it. That only makes my job a lot harder. I not only have to speak from my point of view but also from a typical Darwin TV viewer and whole of NT. If I can get more people to go to DTV or other forums it would make my job a lot easier.
More to come...
William Walker