in the video it’s marked 1986
1 Like
No mate started in 1980 !!!
For some reason I can’t highlight content to “quote” using my iPhone. Never previously had this issue.
Anyway, my query is why was the third commercial station in Melbourne and Brisbane originally on VHF channel 0 as opposed to 10? Were ATV and TVQ launched after a neighbouring regional station that broadcast on channel 10?
1 Like
Correct. 10 had already been assigned to GLV in Gippsland, preventing it being used in Melbourne, and DDQ in Toowoomba, preventing it being used in Brisbane. Channel 0 was then selected for the 3rd commercial channels in Melbourne and Brisbane.
1 Like
Thanks. I’m surprised 10 wasn’t reserved for all the capital cities if it was known a third network was on the cards.
1 Like
I’ve had the same quotation issue, but on Android.
Anyway, GLV10 was operating out of Traralgon and I believe it would have caused interference. GLV was moved to Channel 8 so ATV could move to Channel 10.
Not sure why ATV couldn’t just have Channel 8 in Melbourne…
the use of Channels 2, 7, 9 and 10 for the major capitals was part of the original frequency allocation mapped out prior to the launch of television in Australia.
But much of those early channel assignments for country areas were not followed, and probably obsolete once the dial expanded from 10 to 13 channels, and for some reason the Australian Broadcasting Control Board decided to allocate 10 to Gippsland and Toowoomba. I do not know why they did that having already provisionally allocated 10 to Melbourne and Brisbane.
it would have interfered with Channels 7 and 9 in Melbourne.
1 Like
TEN, TVQ and ATV were all independently owned. No need to reserve a common channel in my view…
Would another channel in Melbourne have worked, maybe 6 or 11?
6 would have interfered with HSV7 and also interfered with BTV6 from Ballarat
11 might have been an option but I think there was a technical reason why it was not preferred
IIRC there were questions asked why Channel 0 was selected, requiring huge numbers of TV sets to be re-tuned and antennas replaced, when potentially others like 5, 5A or 11 might have been available.
EDIT:
The Australian Broadcasting Control Board, in its 1961-62 annual report, advised that:
There was considerable criticism of the allocation of channel 0 to the Melbourne and Brisbane stations. The Minister dealt with the matter in the following statement which he made on 8th May, 1962:-
click to read
The Postmaster-General (Mr. Davidson) said today that, following press criticism of the intention to allocate channel 0 to Melbourne and Brisbane in the present phase of television development, he had received a report from the Australian Broadcasting Control Board and had since had detailed discussions with the Board’s leading radio engineers who had expressed clearly the reasons for the Board’s recommendations. He was satisfied that, in all the circumstances, the allocation was the correct one.
The Board’s report, Mr. Davidson said, was a somewhat technical document which may not be readily understood by the layman. He had decided therefore to issue a statement which, while not being technical, would nevertheless indicate to viewers generally the overall reasons for the Board’s recommendations. He added, however, that the Board’s complete report was available to any one who wished to see it.
Although the use of channel 0 in Melbourne and Brisbane-and also later in other capital cities except Hobart would necessitate some modifications to the tuning arrangements of" ten-channel " receivers, this would be the case also if channels 1, 4, 5, 5A or 11 were allocated. The Minister explained that, when TV was first introduced, only ten channels were available and sets were manufactured on that basis. When it became obvious in 1960 that TV development throughout Australia would be retarded if additional channels were not provided, a Frequency Allocations Review Committee under the Chairmanship of Professor Huxley was set up by the Government to examine the whole scope of frequency allocations in Australia and particularly the availability of frequencies for television purposes. The Committee was able to point the way to the provision of three additional TV channels in the VHF band. This, however, necessitated an alteration to the frequencies of some of the original channels and the only channels which remained unaltered were 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9. A small change was made to channel 10 but this was of little significance so far as receiver tuning was concerned.
Mr. Davidson said that the comment made most frequently on this matter was that channels 5, 5A or 10 should have been allocated to the new stations in Melbourne and Brisbane, and that channel 0 should have been allotted to country stations. He reiterated that had either channel 5 or 5A been proposed, " ten-channel " sets would still need modification. Moreover, it was undesirable to use channel 5 near channel 2 because of possible interference difficulties.
He said that channel 0, because of its long range propagation characteristics, could be used only sparingly in country areas if serious interference to other country stations and, indeed, to city stations also, was to be avoided. To use channel 0 in the country in Victoria and Queensland particularly would impose a restriction on the number of stations which may ultimately be established in country areas, having regard to the large population in a relatively small area in Victoria and the density of population in the southern portion of Queensland. However, channel 0 with directional aerials could be utilized to advantage in city areas without serious interference to overall Australian reception. Channel 10 in each State had already been allocated to country stations. In any case, the use of channel 10 in either Melbourne or Brisbane would have created difficulties in country areas. The other alternative that had been mentioned - channel 3 - was already allotted to country national stations and could not be altered without a serious setback to TV development in country areas. Moreover, the use of channel 3 in the cities would impose difficulties for viewers in that there could be interference to reception from fixed and mobile radio services-such as taxi cabs. Channel 11 could not be used in either capital city because of receiver oscillator effects.
Source: https://apo.org.au/node/62974
2 Likes
Its all the multi channels in between 7mate and 1980mate… all 1973 of them.
1 Like
I talk about SBS Television starting in 1980 on Australia Television
My dad living in the Essendon area always said they had trouble getting ATV0 in the 1960s. A lot of people in Melbourne’s west couldn’t get a a clear picture.
Reception problems was one of the reasons why ATV wanted to move to 10.
1 Like
Clearly had an effect on ratings too. Most were already rusted on 7 and 9.
My grandparents (and parents) never really watched channel 10 in the 90s. It wasn’t until 10 gained the rights to the AFL in 2002 that most older viewers explored the offerings of the third commercial channel.
1 Like
The nineties were kind of the comeback period for Channel 10 after the disastrous 10 TV Australia experiment.
Even though ATV and TVQ had trouble with the 0 frequency, it didn’t seem to affect DDQ when it moved there in 1988. I could be wrong though.
I think the beginning of the problems were before the failed 10TV Australia era. One example is the failure to renew Greg Evans for Perfect Match. The reports indicated Ten “forgot” to renew Evans contract which led to Evans going to Nine and Cameron Daddo becoming host of Perfect Match. After the switch of host, many regionals seemed to abandon Perfect Match at end of 1987 and replacing it with shows aligned with the then proposed aggregation or expanding the evening current affairs offerings.
Yes the 10TV Australia era was a disaster - the Comedy Company did a parody of the corruption in QLD based around “The somethings going on around here” Ten promos - under the slogan “Theres Nothing Going On Around Here” .
10 introduced Saturday evening game shows “The Great TV Game Show” with Richard Stubbs and “The Price Is Right” with Ian Turpie along with “Family Double Dare” with Larry Emdur - only lasted 2 to 3 episodes before being replaced by Doogie Howser MD. Not much lasted from the start of 1989 with E Street one of the longer running shows ending in 1993 and Neighbours until 2022 although revived in 2023 and is set to end unless another miracle appears .
1 Like
I think by 1990, Ten were only showing movies.
At the time of the changeover from 10 to 0 and vice versa it was said that 0 was on a good frequency to cover large flat areas like the Downs in contrast to hilly Brisbane. It would have meant a big change required for antennas on the Downs (but not in Brisbane as metro antennas that were installed already covered Ch 10).
2 Likes
Plus, TVQ had its two UHF channels on the Gold Coast.