Tasmanian Digital Television (TDT, callsign
TDT-11) is a
digitalDigital television is the sending and receiving of moving images and sound by discrete signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV.-Timeline:...
television station in
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. It is jointly owned by the
WIN CorporationThe WIN Corporation is a Wollongong based media company, that owns the WIN Television network, NWS, and STW in Australia.It began broadcasting in Wollongong with one station in 1963. Bruce Gordon acquired control of the company in 1979 and initiated a period of growth which has seen the Network...
and
Macquarie Media GroupMacquarie Media Group, or MMG, is one of Australia's major media companies. On July 3, 2007 Southern Cross Broadcasting recommended Macquarie Media Group's offer of AU$1.35 billion, for a takeover of the corporation. Under the deal, Macquarie Media Group will then on sell the metropolitan radio...
, and largely managed by
WIN TelevisionWIN Television is an Australian television network owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single Wollongong-only station, and has since expanded to 24 owned-and-operated stations with transmissions...
.
In Australia, the major capital cities, and a majority of the regional areas, are served by three commercial broadcasters. However, some less populated areas are only granted two licenses (and until the early 2000s, one in some cases).
Tasmanian Digital Television (TDT, callsign
TDT-11) is a
digitalDigital television is the sending and receiving of moving images and sound by discrete signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV.-Timeline:...
television station in
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. It is jointly owned by the
WIN CorporationThe WIN Corporation is a Wollongong based media company, that owns the WIN Television network, NWS, and STW in Australia.It began broadcasting in Wollongong with one station in 1963. Bruce Gordon acquired control of the company in 1979 and initiated a period of growth which has seen the Network...
and
Macquarie Media GroupMacquarie Media Group, or MMG, is one of Australia's major media companies. On July 3, 2007 Southern Cross Broadcasting recommended Macquarie Media Group's offer of AU$1.35 billion, for a takeover of the corporation. Under the deal, Macquarie Media Group will then on sell the metropolitan radio...
, and largely managed by
WIN TelevisionWIN Television is an Australian television network owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single Wollongong-only station, and has since expanded to 24 owned-and-operated stations with transmissions...
.
Introduction
In Australia, the major capital cities, and a majority of the regional areas, are served by three commercial broadcasters. However, some less populated areas are only granted two licenses (and until the early 2000s, one in some cases). This is because the
Australian Broadcasting AuthorityThe Australian Broadcasting Authority was an Australian government agency whose main roles were to regulate broadcasting, radiocommunications and telecommunications....
(ABA) believes that there is not enough advertising revenue in some areas to keep three broadcasters afloat.
In 2002,
WIN TelevisionWIN Television is an Australian television network owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single Wollongong-only station, and has since expanded to 24 owned-and-operated stations with transmissions...
, who had a
Nine NetworkThe Nine Network, or Channel Nine, is an Australian television network based in Willoughby, a suburb on the North Shore of Sydney. For nearly 40 years between 1956 and 2005, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
affiliation in Tasmania, and
Southern Cross BroadcastingSouthern Cross Broadcasting Limited was a diversified Australian media company, that owned and operated a variety of media businesses, primarily radio and television.-History:...
, who held dual
SevenThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by the Seven Media Group. It dates back to 2 December 1970, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Sydney and Melbourne. It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
and
TenNetwork Ten, or Channel Ten, is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
Network affiliations, lodged a joint application under the Broadcasting Services Act (1992) to establish a third commercial broadcaster in Tasmania. The application, by TasTV Pty Ltd (not to be confused with the former name of WIN Television in Tasmania) was successful.
TDT was the first digital-only commercial channel in Australia. TDT's effect on the digital television market in Tasmania was widely anticipated, as success or failure would strongly guide the digital plans of other broadcasters.
TDT began broadcasting on VHF channel 11 from Mount Wellington in
HobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2008, the city had a greater area population of approximately 209,287...
in late December 2003, and on UHF to north-eastern Tasmania (including
LauncestonLaunceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, with a population of 103,325 located at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers...
) in August 2004, and in 2006 Kelcey Tier, Devonport. Rollout is expected to continue to the rest of the state, including the rest of the north-west coast, the west coast and the east coast over the remainder of 2007 and 2008.
It was a resounding success. Sales of set-top-boxes and digital televisions exploded.
Further expansion around the state will occur at the same time the existing analog FTA broadcasters start digital services. A
high definitionHigh-definition television is a digital television broadcasting system with higher resolution than traditional television systems...
version of the service was launched in April 2005 and broadcasts using the
1080i1080i is the shorthand name of a format of high-definition video modes. 1080 denotes the number of horizontal scan lines - also known as vertical resolution - and the letter i stands for interlaced. In the alternate format of high-definition video mode, known as 1080p, the p would stand for...
format.
As part of the joint venture, Southern Cross Broadcasting is responsible for handling playout (from their Canberra facility), and transmits this signal via satellite to WIN Television transmission facilities in Tasmania. WIN Television handle the business administration and advertising sales for TDT.
Programming
There was significant public speculation about what programming the new station would carry. One of two options was suggested; Southern Cross would drop one of its affiliations (either Seven or Ten) and TDT would pick it up; or TDT would also become a dual Seven and Ten affiliate, and carry the programs that Southern Cross didn't broadcast.
Southern Cross didn't want to disrupt its existing programming, so the agreement TDT signed with the Ten Network still allows Southern Cross to have 'first pick' of Ten programming. If both networks wish to broadcast a program, Southern Cross must broadcast it at the same time as TDT. If Southern Cross wishes to broadcast a Ten program at a different time, TDT will often show repeats or substitute programming instead. Examples of this include Thank God You're Here, The Bold And The Beautiful, and The Wedge. Huey's Cooking Adventures was an exception, with both networks screening it at different times.
From its initial broadcast in late December 2003, to late January 2004, TDT showed a direct feed of
ATV-10ATV is a television station in Melbourne, part of Network Ten - one of the three major commercial television networks in Australia.-History:...
in Melbourne. Southern Cross dropped Rove Live and Totally Wild in 2004, Big Brother in 2006, The Bold and the Beautiful in 2007, Hueys Cooking Adventures, Australian Idol and Thank God You're Here in 2008 (though it was brought back in 2009 with its move to Seven), and Neighbours and The Simpsons in 2009, TDT now broadcast these shows. Southern Cross as of 2009 does not show any Ten programming, except for AFL telecasts, and is almost fully aligned with Seven.
Main Transmitters
| Region served |
City |
Channels In broadcasting, a channel is a range of frequencies assigned by a government for the operation of a particular television station or radio station. In common usage, the term also may be used to refer to the station operating on a particular frequency....
|
First air date |
ERP In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
|
HAATHeight above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts...
1 |
Transmitter Coordinates |
Transmitter Location |
| Hobart Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2008, the city had a greater area population of approximately 209,287...
|
Hobart Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2008, the city had a greater area population of approximately 209,287...
|
11 (VHF VHF is the radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Frequencies immediately below VHF are denoted High frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Ultra high frequency...
) |
January 1, 2004 |
50 kW |
1004 m |
| Mount WellingtonMount Wellington is a mountain on whose foothills is built much of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is often referred to simply as 'the Mountain' by the residents of Hobart, and it rises to 1271 m AHD over the city....
|
| North Eastern Tasmania |
LauncestonLaunceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, with a population of 103,325 located at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers...
|
52 (UHF Ultra high frequency designates a range of electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300 MHz and 3 GHz . Also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
) |
August 2004 |
1250 kW |
839 m |
| Mount Barrow Mount Barrow is a mountain located 46 kilometres north east of Launceston, Tasmania. The three kilometre long plateau reaches a maximum altitude of 1413 metres above sea level and receives regular snowfalls in winter. Mount Barrow State Reserve occupies 459 hectares and is an important subalpine...
|
Notes:
- 1. HAAT
Height above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts...
estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.
Availability
Tasmanian Digital Television is simulcast in digital
standard definitionStandard-definition television is a television system that has a resolution that meets standards but not considered either Enhanced-definition television or High-definition television . The term is usually used in reference to digital television, in particular when broadcasting at the same ...
and
1080i1080i is the shorthand name of a format of high-definition video modes. 1080 denotes the number of horizontal scan lines - also known as vertical resolution - and the letter i stands for interlaced. In the alternate format of high-definition video mode, known as 1080p, the p would stand for...
high definitionHigh-definition television is a digital television broadcasting system with higher resolution than traditional television systems...
. TDT is broadcast in most areas across
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
. TDT is an affiliate of
Network TenNetwork Ten, or Channel Ten, is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
and
One (TV channel)One is a free-to-air Australian television channel, that commenced broadcasting on 26 March 2009 at 7.00pm in Melbourne and at 7.30pm in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart...
, carries their branding and most programs.
See also
- Darwin Digital Television
- Mildura Digital Television
Ten Mildura is a joint venture television station between Macquarie Media Group and Win Television. Based in Mildura, Victoria, Australia, it is a digital-only Network Ten affiliate, and began broadcasting on January 1, 2006.-Availability:The station is available only on digital television as an...
Victoria
- Southern Cross Television
Southern Cross Television, or Southern Cross, is an Australian television network available in Tasmania, Darwin, Regional South Australia, and Central Australia. Although the programming varies from region to region, all areas are affiliated with the Seven Network and, in some areas, have a dual...
- Southern Cross Ten
Southern Cross Ten is an Australian television channel broadcast by the Macquarie Media Group in Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. The channel is owned by the Macquarie Media Group as is affiliated to Network Ten...
- Television broadcasting in Australia