Channel 31 Melbourne
Encyclopedia
C31 Melbourne, formally known as Channel 31 Melbourne (call letters MGV-31), is a public television
station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
.
and Como Centre, South Yarra, reaching much of the Greater Melbourne, Geelong
and West Gippsland
areas on free-to-air television http://www.acma.gov.au/licplan/defmaps/documents/maps/la_250.pdf.
The station began broadcasting officially on 6 October 1994. The Australian Broadcasting Authority
had granted Melbourne Community Television Consortium (MCTC) with a temporary open-narrowcast license on 5 March 1993. The framework of community television in Australia can be traced back to 1992, when the Government asked the ABA to conduct a trial of community television using the vacant sixth television channel (Channel 31). On 30 July 2004, the Australian Broadcasting Authority granted the station a full-time community broadcasting licence.
C31 began broadcasting in digital
during June 2010.
C31 is primarily funded through sponsorship, grants, sale of airtime and member donations. The station does not receive any regular Government funding. The annual revenue of C31 is approximately (AUD) $2 million per year. For comparison, the Nine Network
, an Australian commercial station, has $907 million annual revenue. The station claims that "1.4 million Melbournians tune in each month" this figure is supplied by the ratings company OzTam
. Individual programs can have ratings of up to 180,000 viewers.
The C31 website was completely remodelled in 2009, and now offers streaming of every program they broadcast (if the producer consents). C31 Melbourne is the only community television broadcast in Australia which offers this.
C31 announced to its digital service provider and officially began simulcasting from 2010 on Logical Channel Number 44.
C31 officially started broadcasting in Digital during June 2010 with the official launch date on 11 June.
There are no plans for the expansion of community TV in Regional Victoria & Tasmania in the near future.
On 27 June 2010, the community TV programming was rebranded "C31" with new logo, identities, schedule and watermark.
The C31 program schedule is a program line-up is published on its website, in most Australian electronic program guide
s (EPG's) and in the newspapers.
only and at a lower power than Melbourne's other television stations (it is, for example, one quarter of SBS
's output power). Nevertheless, viewers with good line-of-sight to the main transmitter on Mount Dandenong can receive a usable signal from as far away as Geelong
, Castlemaine
and Moe
. There is also a translator transmitter on the Como building in South Yarra
to provide in-fill for the St Kilda
area; this operates on UHF 64.
Most TV sets are capable of receiving C31, although it is often not included in the factory settings. However, using a TV's automatic tuning function can tune the station in if it is able to be received. Often a signal amplifier attached to the antenna can provide a much better C31 reception.
C31 began a simulcast on digital from 28 May 2010, after being granted a digital television licence by the government. C31 is available on digital via UHF 32 in Melbourne & Geelong and UHF 66 in South Yarra.
C31 transmits from the ABV-2 transmission tower on top of Mount Dandenong, Victoria, from a shared facility alongside ABC Television
, SBS Television, ABC Classic FM
, Triple J
and others.
is arguably Channel 31's best-known programme. It was a pre-recorded broadcast of a fish tank located in the station's studios, set to music by independent artists. It used to be live, but the station got complaints from the ACMA
when there was a dead fish floating on the top of the tank for several days. It was originally shown in place of a test pattern
when the station had no programming available for broadcast. After it was discovered that Fishcam was reasonably popular, Fishcam became a scheduled show and was even listed in the TV guide. Channel 31 has boasted that Fishcam is "very popular" and is so widely recognized in the Melbourne community that "many people know Channel 31 as 'the fish station'."
The station has previously made VHS
tapes of Fishcam available for purchase. After having its timeslot continually cut back over the years to make room for more traditional programming, Fishcam finally ceased broadcasting on 4 March 2007.
, Amy Parks
, Greg Tingle, Hamish and Andy, Adam Richard
, Jo Stanley
, Darren Chau, Corinne Grant
, Jamie McDonald and Kim Hope.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The Channel
Its signal is transmitted from Mt. DandenongMount Dandenong, Victoria
Mount Dandenong is both a mountain and small township/suburb of Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 35 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges...
and Como Centre, South Yarra, reaching much of the Greater Melbourne, Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
and West Gippsland
West Gippsland
West Gippsland, a region of Gippsland in Victoria, Australia, extends from the southeastern limits of metropolitan Melbourne and Western Port Bay in the west to the Latrobe Valley in the east, and is bounded by the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Mount Baw Baw Plateau in the Great Dividing...
areas on free-to-air television http://www.acma.gov.au/licplan/defmaps/documents/maps/la_250.pdf.
The station began broadcasting officially on 6 October 1994. The Australian Broadcasting Authority
Australian Broadcasting Authority
The Australian Broadcasting Authority was an Australian government agency whose main roles were to regulate broadcasting, radiocommunications and telecommunications....
had granted Melbourne Community Television Consortium (MCTC) with a temporary open-narrowcast license on 5 March 1993. The framework of community television in Australia can be traced back to 1992, when the Government asked the ABA to conduct a trial of community television using the vacant sixth television channel (Channel 31). On 30 July 2004, the Australian Broadcasting Authority granted the station a full-time community broadcasting licence.
C31 began broadcasting in digital
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
during June 2010.
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, an Australian commercial station, has $907 million annual revenue. The station claims that "1.4 million Melbournians tune in each month" this figure is supplied by the ratings company OzTam
OzTAM
OzTAM is an Australian audience measurement research firm that collects and markets television ratings data. It is jointly owned by the Seven Network, the Nine Network and Network Ten, and is the official source of television ratings data for all metropolitan television in Sydney, Melbourne,...
. Individual programs can have ratings of up to 180,000 viewers.
The C31 website was completely remodelled in 2009, and now offers streaming of every program they broadcast (if the producer consents). C31 Melbourne is the only community television broadcast in Australia which offers this.
C31 announced to its digital service provider and officially began simulcasting from 2010 on Logical Channel Number 44.
C31 officially started broadcasting in Digital during June 2010 with the official launch date on 11 June.
There are no plans for the expansion of community TV in Regional Victoria & Tasmania in the near future.
On 27 June 2010, the community TV programming was rebranded "C31" with new logo, identities, schedule and watermark.
The C31 program schedule is a program line-up is published on its website, in most Australian electronic program guide
Electronic program guide
Electronic program guides and interactive program guides provide users of television, radio, and other media applications with continuously updated menus displaying broadcast programming or scheduling information for current and upcoming programming...
s (EPG's) and in the newspapers.
Transmission quality
C31's signal is broadcast in UHFUltra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
only and at a lower power than Melbourne's other television stations (it is, for example, one quarter of SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
's output power). Nevertheless, viewers with good line-of-sight to the main transmitter on Mount Dandenong can receive a usable signal from as far away as Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
, Castlemaine
Castlemaine, Victoria
Castlemaine is a city in Victoria, Australia, in the Goldfields region of Victoria about 120 kilometres northwest by road from Melbourne, and about 40 kilometres from the major provincial centre of Bendigo. It is the administrative and economic centre of the Shire of Mount Alexander. The...
and Moe
Moe, Victoria
Moe is a city in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is about east of Melbourne and at the 2006 census had a population of 15,582 . It is administered by the City of Latrobe council....
. There is also a translator transmitter on the Como building in South Yarra
South Yarra, Victoria
South Yarra is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Stonnington and Melbourne...
to provide in-fill for the St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
area; this operates on UHF 64.
Most TV sets are capable of receiving C31, although it is often not included in the factory settings. However, using a TV's automatic tuning function can tune the station in if it is able to be received. Often a signal amplifier attached to the antenna can provide a much better C31 reception.
C31 began a simulcast on digital from 28 May 2010, after being granted a digital television licence by the government. C31 is available on digital via UHF 32 in Melbourne & Geelong and UHF 66 in South Yarra.
C31 transmits from the ABV-2 transmission tower on top of Mount Dandenong, Victoria, from a shared facility alongside ABC Television
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
, SBS Television, ABC Classic FM
ABC Classic FM
ABC Classic FM is a classical music radio station available in Australia, and internationally online. It is operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . It was established in 1976 as "ABC-FM", and later for a short time was known as "ABC Fine Music" , before adopting its current name...
, Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
and others.
Programming
Channel 31 broadcasts a vast array of locally-produced content including news, sport, youth, arts, and entertainment programmes. The station also features a substantial amount of local multicultural programming, celebrating Melbourne's ethnic diversity.FishCam
FishcamFishcam
Fishcam refers to a broadcast consisting of a video camera pointed at a fishtank.- Australia :Channel 31 Melbourne, Australia, had one of the more famous and long-lasting Fishcams. The Fishcam itself was originally used as a replacement to the more common testcards, shown when the station had...
is arguably Channel 31's best-known programme. It was a pre-recorded broadcast of a fish tank located in the station's studios, set to music by independent artists. It used to be live, but the station got complaints from the ACMA
Australian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is an Australian government statutory authority within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy portfolio...
when there was a dead fish floating on the top of the tank for several days. It was originally shown in place of a test pattern
Test card
A test card, also known as a test pattern in North America and Australia, is a television test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no program is being broadcast...
when the station had no programming available for broadcast. After it was discovered that Fishcam was reasonably popular, Fishcam became a scheduled show and was even listed in the TV guide. Channel 31 has boasted that Fishcam is "very popular" and is so widely recognized in the Melbourne community that "many people know Channel 31 as 'the fish station'."
The station has previously made VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
tapes of Fishcam available for purchase. After having its timeslot continually cut back over the years to make room for more traditional programming, Fishcam finally ceased broadcasting on 4 March 2007.
Other programs
- Dollars with Sense is a half hour TV show which seeks to raise the financial literacy of the general community, with good, unbiased advice from the cream of the financial industry.
- Morningshines is a sketch comedy program presented as a morning show for nights, hosted by Mike and Steve.
- Fusion Latinahttp://www.fusionlatinatv.com is a magazine style TV show that explores the passion of the Spanish and Latin American culture in Australia.
- The Bazura ProjectThe Bazura ProjectThe Bazura Project is a comedy show about the history of cinema, written and presented by Shannon Marinko and Lee Zachariah. It originally ran on Australian community television from 2006 to 2008, and on ABC2 in late 2011.-Guide To Sinema:...
is a movie show featuring film news, feature stories, interviews, and reviews. It is hosted by Shannon Marinko and Lee Zachariah. - Get Cereal TV is an hour long breakfast show produced by SYNStudent Youth NetworkSYN Media is a youth-run media organisation that provides training and broadcast opportunities for young people.Commonly referred to as SYN, the organisation produces new and independent media that is made by and for Melbourne's young people...
, airing weekday mornings from 7:30. - Barnaby Flowers is the collective of Melbourne writers, directors and producers behind the popular C31 shows, Barnaby Flowers Comeback Special & Barnaby Flowers Bumper Bonanza a live hour long sketch show and Barnaby Flowers A Time to Talk, a satirical mock interview show.
- Chartbusting 80's one of C31's most popular and resource-intensive studio shows.
- Darren & BroseDarren & BroseDarren & Brose are Darren Chau and Brose Avard, two Australian based comedy writers and performers who first met whilst studying media at Latrobe University. Chau had previously been working with the comedy ensemble Chop-Socky, whilst Avard had been producing and broadcasting on several Melbourne...
C31's very first live, nightly program. - Damon DarkDamon DarkDamon Dark is a science fiction series from Australia, created by and featuring Adrian Sherlock.-Origins of the Series:The series began as a semi-professional TV pilot episode called Damon Dark: "Timeslip" and when this was not picked up by TV networks, its creator made a continuation for community...
is an indie science fiction programme. - Gasolene is a programme that showcases anything to do with petrochemical engines, auto repairs or metalworking.
- The InquiryThe InquiryThe Inquiry was a study group established in September 1917 by Woodrow Wilson to prepare materials for the peace negotiations following World War I. The group, composed of around 150 academics, was directed by presidential adviser Edward House and supervised directly by philosopher Sidney Mezes...
is a news program with a youth oriented comedic spin. - Planet NerdPlanet NerdPlanet Nerd is a television comedy variety programme broadcast on Channel 31 Melbourne. It stars local Melbourne comedians Dan Walmsley, Paul Francis Verhoeven, Ben McKenzie, Simon Barber, Jason English-Rees, Andrew Doodson, Lou Pardi, and Rob Lloyd, and features other local Melbourne talent as well...
is a variety show for, and about, nerds and geeks. It is hosted by Dan WalmsleyDan WalmsleyDan Walmsley is a Melbourne-based comedian, writer, musician and improvisor. He is also the creator of Planet Nerd, a TV show on Community station C31 Melbourne....
. - In Pit Lane is C31's weekly motor sports program that has run for 11 years.
- Level 3Level 3 (TV Series)Level 3 is an Australian television show that focuses on video games and gaming culture. The program has aired on C31 Melbourne on Monday nights, and on TVS on Tuesday nights...
A video game related show that has reviews of PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation3, Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
games. - Magic Dudes: As Seen On TV The made for television series show cases the sleight-of-hand magic of the performing duo, the Magic Dudes. The series was filmed in front of a live audience and was based on a pilot that first was shown on C31 Adelaide in 2004.
- No Limits is a talk show about living with disability. It is a high-profile and popular show. Its 'politically-correct' content gives support to C31's raison d'etre.
- Pinoy TV is a television programme which is dedicated to Filipino-Australians living in Melbourne, Sydney and Darwin. It features cooking, news and cultural events. Pinoy TV is hosted by "Ate G" (Giselle Gonzales) and "DJ Gwapz".
- Racing Fashion TV is a series hosted by Anna Mott which focuses on fashions on the field at various horse racing events and functions around Australia.
- Scoop tv is a weekly Melbourne comedy/talk show covering topical and entertainment news. Website
- SketchmenSketchmenSketchmen is an Australian comedy troupe formed in 2005. The troupe's members are Michael, James, Jay and Casey.-Sketchmen :...
a Sydney sketch comedy show. - The Shambles Sketch comedy show starring Sos, Valvo & Lynchy.
- TheatreGames LIVE is a program where a number of actors compete against each other playing improvisation and theatregames.
- Blurb (tv show) is a book review television program featuring Misha Adair and Natasha Ludowyk.
- The Ugly Stick a sketch comedy program featuring the ugly stick comedy troupe.
- 1700 a live daily music show produced by SYNStudent Youth NetworkSYN Media is a youth-run media organisation that provides training and broadcast opportunities for young people.Commonly referred to as SYN, the organisation produces new and independent media that is made by and for Melbourne's young people...
, with sms interaction, video clips, music news and many segments http://syn.org.au/tv - In Search of... a weekly documentary series
- Paranormal Investigators Television series which looks into the paranormal as a group of people go out to often secluded locations in search of the paranormal
- GolfZone TV Golf themed TV show, featuring golf instruction, golf rules, golf product reviews, course reviews and rule interpretation.
- 4WD TV 4WD TV is an action packed program dedicated to all things four wheeling. For 4WD enthusiasts of all kinds, get up close and dirty in extreme competitions and the inside scoop on industry events with stories covering 4WD education and safety, hints and tips, trip and track reports, product tests and reviews, repairing and modifying your rigs as well as club reports, events and competitions.
- Russian Kaleidoscope is a weekly program for the Russian Community in Melbourne. The show includes local news, interviews and Russian Documentaries. It is hosted by Dmitry Likane.
- The Marngrook Footy ShowThe Marngrook Footy ShowThe Marngrook Footy Show is a sport panel show broadcast in Australia. It is broadcast as delay on NITV and is now broadcast on ABC2 . It was simulcast on Channel 31...
is a indigenous AFL footy program on National Indigenous TelevisionNational Indigenous TelevisionNational Indigenous Television, commonly referred to as NITV, is an Australian television network broadcasting throughout Australia via satellite.-History:...
. - The Local Footy Show is local Aussie rules football show across Victoria.
- The Wrap is a weekly live-to-air news entertainment program produced by SYNStudent Youth NetworkSYN Media is a youth-run media organisation that provides training and broadcast opportunities for young people.Commonly referred to as SYN, the organisation produces new and independent media that is made by and for Melbourne's young people...
. - Local Knowledge is a weekly documentary series. It is hosted by Colette Werden
- With Tim FergusonTim FergusonTimothy Dorcen Langbene "Tim" Ferguson is an Australian comedian and television presenter.- Background :...
- WTF
Personalities
Many comedians, performing artists and producers worked at C31 before moving to mainstream television, these people include Rove McManusRove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, Amy Parks
Amy Parks
Amy Parks is a reporter for Seven News Melbourne from Melbourne, Australia. Parks was one of the original hosts of Nine Network's late night interactive quiz show, Quizmania . She was a reporter on Nine News Melbourne in 2008, before switching to rival network, Seven.-Early years:Parks was born on...
, Greg Tingle, Hamish and Andy, Adam Richard
Adam Richard
Adam Richard is an Australian comedian, actor and media personality. He stars in the ABC 1 comedy series Outland which begins in 2011.Adam has been a stand-up comedian since 1997. He had a regular gossip segment on Triple J radio in 2002-2003, where he was known as Mister Bitch. He has presented a...
, Jo Stanley
Jo Stanley
Joanne "Jo" Stanley is an Australian television and radio personality.Stanley has appeared as the host of Network Ten's Bread TV program, a show that focuses on small business and is currently the host of The Matt and Jo Show on Austereo's FOX FM, a show she joined in 2003.- Biography :She...
, Darren Chau, Corinne Grant
Corinne Grant
Corinne Grant is an Australian comedian and television presenter.-Career:After briefly studying as a nurse in Wodonga, she embarked upon a career as an actor in Melbourne, obtaining a degree in drama. After graduating, Grant started doing stand-up comedy to overcome her stage-fright. Her first...
, Jamie McDonald and Kim Hope.
See also
- Television broadcasting in Australia
- Channel 31