Paramount Australia & New Zealand

Ah right, thanks for that.

I thought they were fighting it in court just to keep their share of the ownership, but realise now that is likely about the sale amount rather than the sale itself which forms part of the contract.

Operating costs will probably remain the same for Ten, and would provide minimal dividends, if any. The reliability of the service isnā€™t going to change, and it means they get a cash injection from the sale.

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If they sold it they wouldnt have to worry about equipment upgrades to the sight? Rather just a rental instead?

yes, but TXA could charge whatever they like for the rent.

I suspect 7 and 9 may buy out 10 and merge TXA into the super playout centreā€¦ or 7 and 9, being as cash strapped as they seem to be, may just walk away with their tail between their legs.

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The alternative of Ten using Broadcast Australia was mentioned by the ACCC in their decision approving the proposed acquisition by Seven and Nine.

correct, and Ten may very well just go with BA to spite them.

Disclaimer: This is all unconfirmed & not official information from my employer TX Australia.

Ten/CBS is in payback mode since this began, CBS will make 7 & 9 pay dearly one way or another, for bringing this on.

TEN has been in serious talks with BA since the start. If TEN go to BA, then site rental agreements will be under a contract with BA (as per ABC & SBS) not TEN directly, so if TXA want to charge huge amounts, BA will likely tell them to get stuffed & may take ABC & SBS away too?. BA would install their own new transmitters for TEN at the TXA sites, & TXA will be left with a spare TX at every site, (the old TEN ones that TXA own), unless they decide to sell them off to BA/TEN.

I only heard this last week & am waiting to find out more info, but itā€™s believed TEN have already installed new transmitters at each of the main metro BA sites in each state, ready to jump ship, thereā€™s also talks about new BA owned & operated translator sites for TEN, ABC & SBS, leaving only 7 & 9 at TXAā€™s translator sites.

Like I said, this is only word on the streets at this stage, & is not official information from TEN/CBS, TXA or BA.

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I know that the TX transmitter in Brisbane used to be Tenā€™s transmitter (and in fact is the property the now torn down Ten News bill board was on and is also guarded by the same security company). Would certainly be interesting if that tower no longer carried tenā€™s transmission.

That sounds incredibly expensive and is unnecessary duplication and would undo the decades of collaborative efforts of the commercial and public broadcasters since the first translators were installed.

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Not really because the number of TXA & BA owned translator sites are relatively small in each metro market, & thereā€™s nothing particularly collaborative about it, itā€™s all just business.

The ABC hates SBS, the only link between them is the respective business deals for operation with BA, & now 7 & 9 have got 10 offside.

Across the Sydney/Central Coast licence area, TXA owns & operates 2 translator sites, BA owns & operates 3 translator sites & the rest are owned by Axicom, WINTV or NSW RMS. Other states have local council owned sites too.

BA own & operate the ABC & SBS services at 5 of the sites, with TXA owning & operating the 3 commercial services at those 5 sites, & TXA own & operate all 5 services at the remaining 4 sites around Sydney/Central Coast.

Similar set up in the other metro markets.

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You would think that they wouldnā€™t be given access to install transmitters (Iā€™m assuming you mean towers)

I havenā€™t heard this one. Thatā€™s A LOT of capital investment for a possibility that may not happen. (And there are no TV transmitter manufacturers here in Australiaā€¦ so nothing could be called up ā€œat a moments noticeā€

It was, until TEN sold it to create the TXA company back in the 90ā€™sā€¦ ironically, it was TENā€™s idea for the commercial networks to get together and create a company to look after the transmission.

No I mean transmitters, why wouldnā€™t they be given access?

Commercial agreements are made & transmitter hall space is rented, they can put whatever they want there.

If the commercial agreement grants them 24/7 access to the site, they get site keys & can work on their equipment whenever they like.

BA have transmitters in almost all TXA sites, & TXA have transmitters in many BA sites, BA adding an extra one for TEN would be no different.

From what Iā€™ve been hearing, TEN have been in serious talks with BA for many months (just after this issue started). I heard we should start to see things happening around September, & I kinda got the idea it was happening, no matter the outcome of the court case, CBS was out for blood & to teach lessons.

I believe from word around town, that suppliers for a everything move to BA, had been approached & quotes for goods supply & installation works had been completed many months ago.

You should be able to get 5 transmitters delivered out of Rhode & Schwarz within about 8 weeks of order, so thereā€™s been plenty of time past to implement this now.

Iā€™m not completely ignorant to the inner machinations of television in Australia, I understand that BA and TXA have existing arrangements at some sites and could move TEN into the rack space quite easilyā€¦ sorry, I thought you meant towers.

I honestly believe TEN have quotes ready to go, but nothing has been acted on.

As for CBS out for blood, they arenā€™t directly involved in the day to day running of TENā€¦ and, at the least, wouldnā€™t be actively involved in this case.

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What is all this BA and TXA talk? Has it got anything to do with 10 actually being transmitted? For the past few weeks 10 simply disappears off my TV makes the occasional return then is off again.
My reception and signal is fine and every other station is 100% except 10 when it just disappears completely. Iā€™m in inner city Melbourne.

TXA own & operate all the TEN transmitters, so yes it has everything to do with TEN being transmitted.

It depends where youā€™re getting youā€™re reception from, currently all services at Como, Melbourne CBD & Mt Dandenong are OK. There may have been some recent issues from Como, but not sure I look after Sydney?
Are you sure your reception is 100%?

Fill out this form & someone should get in contact with you about it. All transmitters are monitored 24/7, so if thereā€™s a transmitter issue, Melbourne TXA staff would know about it.

Thereā€™s usually many complaints/inquiries if thereā€™s a TX issue. 1 or 2 complaints is usually a local installation problem. Not saying youā€™re wrong, but Iā€™ve heard that exact ā€œMy reception is 100% itā€™s the transmitter thatā€™s the problemā€ so many times & itā€™s almost never correct, 99% of issues are receive problems not transmit problems.
https://www.txaustralia.com.au/digital-content-delivery/tv-reception-feedback

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Thanks Iā€™ll definitely log it. I know others in the area that are having the same issue with only Ch 10. I would imagine Como is my local as Iā€™m in Richmond.
Ch 10 randomly comes back but like right now if I rescan it will just drop off completely as itā€™s not receiving a signal for 10 or their other channels. Every other network is fine and thereā€™s no issue with reception quality or anything along those lines.

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Apparently Como is having issues due to the construction of a huge apartment tower directly opposite it. 10 was back on last night for a few hours but this morning is off again.

Strange that it doesnā€™t affect other channels. Is the assumption then that Como is only broadcasting 10 or does it broadcast all networks?

Same tower will have all the networks, the South Yarra transmitter also has Channel 31 on it.

Iā€™d check your TV in case it tried to scan in and store the 10 transmission from Mt Dandenong. Iā€™ve had issues in some locations where a weak signal could get suddenly stronger and then the TV would decide to store that, and then once reception levels got back to normal it was stuck on the old frequency.

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