what’s the general feeling about having to go off the air in a few months and go online?
Disappointment. We are in talks about going to Aurora on foxtel as online just isn’t viable. We have people who watch the show since it was on Access 31 and they are of the older generation who won’t go online.
Also, we are primarily a training ground. I have 40 people working on a almost national TV Show. There is a big difference to producing for TV compared to online.
I Know technology is changing and I accept that. But its not fair to force us off-air while the commericals aren’t made to switch. Yes, I know they make money etc. But the spectrum is just going to sit empty for years and thats crazy.
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I do feel for you guys and for the sector in general. There is no sensible reason for the government to do what its done and they might think there’s no employment linked to the community TV sector, there certainly is both directly and indirectly
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Exactly. None of us get paid for it, and there is no money whatsoever but We have a passion for it and its experience. And look at the list of names who got their start on community TV…
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I just watched your Crew Special @Travis and holy shit the second line of the supers for the panel is hilarious.
Also is it only broadcasted in WA cause I see some of letters from the east.
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The crew Ep is a bit of fun. It normally airs between christmas and new years so we don’t take it too seriously. Its a chance for our crew to have a go and our on-air wrap party 
The show airs on WTV Perth, C44 Adelaide, C31 Melbourne and online.
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A Sad day.
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What is Labor’s stance on community TV? If it wins the next federal election, can it provide the spectrum to revive terrestrial broadcast? I know the Greens want to keep community TV on air.
It’ll be too late. The next election is expected to be in mid to late 2019. All CTV goes off air by the end of this month. I doubt that the stations will want to spend the money to return to broadcasting after two years off air with online only.
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Though the opportunity is perhaps including it as part of a deal on the media law changes.
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can only hope
By then the horse will have well and truly bolted. And I’m not convinced Labor are entirely opposed to the government’s handling of the situation, given that when they were in government they weren’t much better at securing the future of community television. They dragged their feet at even allowing the community channels access to digital spectrum and even then only gave them temporary access which is what the current government is choosing not to extend further.
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They should just keep broadcasting after the deadline to force the issue.
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“In the context of the explosion of shopping and racing channels on free-to-air TV, the instability of Network Ten, and concerns around the lack of diverse Australian voices in mainstream media, it is particularly puzzling that Community TV should be so readily kicked off free-to-air,” [manager Matthew Field] said.
[…]
Recently, Channel 31 had been arguing its access to the spectrum should be extended to align with its ACMA-awarded broadcast licence, which is valid until June 2019.
“Where else as a student are you going to get your hands on a $100,000 camera and be responsible for getting something to air?” [Hamish Blake] said. “That was the cool thing – you were in charge of your show and it was a microcosm of the real TV world.”
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It’s a shame that the remaining CTV stations didn’t negotiate with an ailing commercial network cough Ten cough for a spot on their mux.
At least for 44, their playout is almost entirely contained in a box which is actually kept with the transmitter. No microwave links or anything.
They’d just need to put this wherever Ten keep their encoders.
It’d be a win-win.
Ten get money for nothing and a warm fuzzy feeling.
Community stations get to continue existing. And with greater coverage in many cases too. In the Adelaide licence area they would be retransmitted in Victor Harbour, the Foothills, etc for the first time.
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Perhaps C31, C44 and West TV should lease out some spectrum from the Seven Network, as they have a spare mux (ch74 previously used for 4ME), they do not carry ishoptv unlike Prime, and the cost of leasing the mux from Seven would be much cheaper than running a transmitter on its own. And Kerry Stokes would love to see more Australian content on his network! The deal would be similar to Seven carrying racing.com TV. And as temp said, it will be available on outer-suburban translators as well as receivable on VHF-only antennas. And perhaps the community channels could get WIN (in SA), Southern Cross (in Tasmania, SA and VAST), Prime7 (in Victoria) and GWN (in WA) to carry them giving them statewide coverage on TV.
Another alternative: perhaps C31, C44 and West TV could apply for a HPON license to continue transmitting, similar to Snowy Mountains TV in Jindabyne, which transmits on a frequency outside the block that ABC, SBS, Prime7, WIN and Southern Cross Nine are on. SMTV isn’t subject to closure like community TV, so HPON would be a great idea to keep community TV on the airwaves!
Seven used the spectrum from 4ME’s closure to switch 7Flix from MPEG4 to MPEG2 so more people could view and later to introduce 7HD. Prime do not carry 7Flix so they can have the shopping channel.
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