Mildura to get Digital 10 (But When?)

[Matt Cook]

http://www.starfm.net.au/mildura/regnews/upghct22.htm
Sunraysia to receive Channel 10 television

30 April 2004


Member for Mallee, John Forrest has confirmed Mildura will get access to
Channel 10 television.

A new joint venture between WIN and Prime would provide the digitalised
signal into the region.

Unlike the rest of Victoria, Mildura missed out under aggregation on
receiving Channel 10, despite being one of the few supporters of the concept
before it was introduced.

Mr Forrest says the expression of interest was lodged with the ABA coincides
with the start of the football season and an enormous public petition.

He says the companies have a year to make the application, and he has been
assured the networks will not waste time getting the signal to air.

[MC: I expect there will be more news on this tommorow...]

[Matt Cook]

> [MC: I expect there will be more news on this tommorow...]

The Sunraysia Daily did give more info today as it promised yesterday.
Unfortunatly, none was of any use, and some was wrong. No testing or launch
dates. Anyway, Mildura will get digital Ten at some point before Jan 19 next
year. Considering the deadline for Section 38B applications was a few weeks
ago, has any announcement been made for Griffith/MIA or Darwin?

[William Walker]

"Matt Cook" <mattax@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c6v1pe$hcc$1@otis.netspace.net.au...
> > [MC: I expect there will be more news on this tommorow...]
>
> The Sunraysia Daily did give more info today as it promised yesterday.
> Unfortunatly, none was of any use, and some was wrong. No testing or
launch
> dates. Anyway, Mildura will get digital Ten at some point before Jan 19
next
> year. Considering the deadline for Section 38B applications was a few
weeks
> ago, has any announcement been made for Griffith/MIA or Darwin?
>

No announcement have been made as yet for Darwin but I suspect that Southern
Cross is likely to bid for a Channel 10 license. I doubt if PBL is keen to
go to the party to create a joint venture, they have shown opposition to a
competing license in the past. So SC Ten is going to be more likely a
reality for Darwin than a joint venture. Again Ten in darwin is likely to
be shown on digital only.

If Mildura is to get Ten, it means Darwin will also get to see Ten in at
least a few years time.

William Walker

[Matt Cook]

"William Walker" <ww1971@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:B3Ekc.6083$TT.5204@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> No announcement have been made as yet for Darwin but I suspect that
Southern
> Cross is likely to bid for a Channel 10 license. I doubt if PBL is keen
to
> go to the party to create a joint venture, they have shown opposition to a
> competing license in the past. So SC Ten is going to be more likely a
> reality for Darwin than a joint venture. Again Ten in darwin is likely to
> be shown on digital only.
>
> If Mildura is to get Ten, it means Darwin will also get to see Ten in at
> least a few years time.

The ABA set a deadline of April 18 2004 for applications for Section 38B
(digital 3rd commercial stations in 2 station markets) licences. Tassie's
licences were applied for in 2003, and Hobart started broadcasting late that
year. Launceston is to start soon. The Mildura licence wasn't applied for
until the deadline was nearly reached, and news of that didn't get out for
at least a few weeks, and then it was only because a local pollie who's been
on the issue for years found out about it.

If Darwin is to get a 38B Ten, the licence will have to have already been
applied for. Ask the ABA about it.

All 38B licences have to be operating by 19th January 2005 BTW.

[Thomas 'bacco|007' Baxter]

On Sat, 1 May 2004 12:24:47 +1000, Matt Cook wrote:

> Considering the deadline for Section 38B applications was a few weeks
> ago, has any announcement been made for Griffith/MIA or Darwin?

Whats the difference between Griffith/Darwin etc and Regional SA (which has
their channels on analogue)

[Andrew Bayley]

"Thomas 'bacco|007' Baxter" <bacco007@bacco007.com> wrote in message
news:12lrjxy119k2j.z77n8jmz0oc9$.dlg@40tude.net...
> On Sat, 1 May 2004 12:24:47 +1000, Matt Cook wrote:
>
> > Considering the deadline for Section 38B applications was a few weeks
> > ago, has any announcement been made for Griffith/MIA or Darwin?
>
> Whats the difference between Griffith/Darwin etc and Regional SA (which
has
> their channels on analogue)

Griffith and Darwin already have 2 commercial channels (WIN and Prime in
Griffith, Darwin has 7 and 9) whereas regional SA markets only had 1 (WIN in
Riverland, Mt Gambier and Central in Broken Hill/Port Pirie) up until the
local Ten affiliates began.

[Thomas 'bacco|007' Baxter]

On Sat, 1 May 2004 22:08:23 +1000, Andrew Bayley wrote:

> Griffith and Darwin already have 2 commercial channels (WIN and Prime in
> Griffith, Darwin has 7 and 9) whereas regional SA markets only had 1 (WIN in
> Riverland, Mt Gambier and Central in Broken Hill/Port Pirie) up until the
> local Ten affiliates began.

Ah, yes. I stand corrected.
Thanks Andrew :)

[Matt Cook]

http://www.starfm.net.au/mildura/regnews/jk6ngzpf.htm
Forrest urges stations not to dally over 10 signal

3 May 2004


Federal Member for Mallee John Forrest says Sunraysia residents should keep
the pressure on the Win and Prime television networks to get a Channel 10
signal into the area as quickly as possible.

Since the announcement last week the 2 networks have formed a company to
bring the additionalk service to the area, Mr Forrest says he has been
inundated with requests for a starting date for transmission.

He says it is a legal matter, and now up to the networks who promised that
they would move on the issue as quickly as possible.

They have a year in which to commence transmitting.

[Matt Cook]

http://www.aba.gov.au/abanews/news_releases/2004/41nr04.htm
NR 41/2004
4 May 2004
Expression of interest for a new digital television service in Mildura
Mildura Digital Television Pty Ltd has expressed its interest in providing a
third commercial television service in the Mildura/Sunraysia licence area.

The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the Act) provides for the allocation of
an additional commercial television broadcasting licence to licensees in
markets where there are two commercial television licences in force.

Mildura Digital Television Pty Ltd is jointly owned by the existing
commercial television licensees in the Mildura area, WIN Television Mildura
Pty Ltd and Prime Television (Victoria) Pty Ltd.

Mildura Digital Television Pty Ltd has 12 months to apply for the additional
commercial television licence from the designated time of 19 January 2004
set by the Australian Broadcasting Authority.

The proposed new commercial television service will cover the same area as
the current licensees' existing television services.

Media contact Donald Robertson, ABA Manager Media and PR on (02) 9334 7980.

back to top


Backgrounder
Amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act (section 38B) streamlined the
process for the allocation of a second commercial television licence to
licensees in markets where there are two commercial television licences in
force, as long as neither of the existing licences was allocated under s38A
of the Act. The existing licensees may either apply for a licence as a joint
venture company or apply separately.

When can a section 38B licence be allocated?

There are two steps involved in applying for a section 38B licence.

First, the existing licensees may give the ABA a single or joint 'written
notice' stating that they will apply for an additional licence in the
licence area within 90 days after the designated time for the licence area.

Secondly, the joint-venture company or single applicant may apply in writing
to the ABA for an additional licence within 12 months after the designated
time for the licence area.

In accordance with the legislation, the ABA must allocate an additional
licence to a joint venture company under s38B if the ABA is satisfied that
the company is jointly owned by the existing licensees.

If the ABA receives applications from both of the existing licensees, it
must allocate the licence under a price-based allocation system determined
by the ABA.

If the ABA receives only one application from an existing licensee, it must
allocate the additional licence to that licensee.


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[Matt Cook]

'Premature' Call on Move to Secure Channel 10 Signal
Sunraysia Daily, May 7 2004, P 2.

Member for Mildura John Forrest's recent statement that Mildura Digital
Television Pty Ltd's new signal "will be digital television and I am assured
it will be real time live and dedicated Channel 10 service" has been
labelled an assumption and a little premature.

Prime Television general manager operations Australia Doug Edwards yesterday
said the network had not held any discussions with Channel Ten.

"The assumption that Mildura Digital Television would deliver a natural
straight Channel 10 line is premature, seeing as we've had no discussions
with them at this stage," Mr Edwards said.

"While it is most likely Channel Ten would be the preferred option, we have
no plans at all for program feed."

"Our other options are to access the libraries of Channel's Seven and Nine
and combine programs that haven't been seen in other markets."

"And there are always people coming to us offering new and exciting
programs."

"Channel Ten could put a figure to us that is prohibitive and un-viable, but
again, while Channel Ten is the most likely outcome nothing has been
finalised."

Mr Edwards said the organisations (sic) of Mildura Digital Television Pty
Ltd would now get together, do the figures and prepare to put the equipment
in.

"I can't say a date when it will be operational, but it's at least 12 months
away."

"We need time to put a business plan together and while Channel Ten is more
than likely at this stage, it could be one to two years away and who knows
what could happen in that time."