Southern Cross Austereo confirms 9HD will not go off-air in change over
Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has announced it will begin broadcasting 9HD into key regional markets from July 1, 2016, avoiding any service down-time.
The regional TV network confirmed last week that its high-definition channel 9HD along with lifestyle channel 9Life would both go off-air as it prepared to switch over its content in regional areas in Queensland, Southern New South Wales and Victoria from Ten to Nine.
Rick Lenarcic, head of regional media – SCA, said: “From day one when we start broadcasting Nine programs in standard definition on Channel Five on the remote control, we will also be broadcasting 9HD on channel 50.”
“I am pleased to be able to advise viewers that the third State of Origin on Wednesday 13 July will be in HD. In addition, in Queensland and New South Wales all NRL Season games on Nine, starting with the Storm versus the Broncos July 1, will be in HD.”
“Recognising how much our viewers value the quality of high-definition, our technical staff have been working tirelessly to get HD to air as quickly as possible,” said Lenarcic.
As reported last week, some channels may experience off-air periods throughout the changeover; however, SCA says it expects 9Life to be back on-air by mid August at the latest.
SCA is also currently in negotiations with WIN around the key regional market of Tasmania. There has been some concern that if a deal is not reached before the changeover key regional markets, such as Tasmania, may lose signal.
WIN today announced its Tasmanian news bulletin would have a new time slot, seven nights every week, beginning at 5.30pm for an hour from Friday July 1, following Family Feud at 5:00pm.
The Project will begin weeknights at 6:30pm.
WIN’s CEO Andrew Lancaster announced the decision as part of WIN’s new program supply agreement with Network Ten, saying: “WIN News in Tasmania’s new 5:30pm time slot will deliver viewers a two-hour line-up that includes a one hour bulletin presented and produced locally using news gathering resources across the State.
Lancaster: Tassie’s news to begin at 5:30pm every night of the week
“We are excited to now have the stand-out team from the multi-Logie award-winning Australian news and current affairs television panel program, The Project, join us at 6:30pm. This means WIN will provide our Tasmanian viewers with one of the most comprehensive evening news and current affairs line-ups in the country.
“The WIN network has always been committed to producing strong local news coverage and our position in this line-up reinforces the importance we place on keeping our viewers informed at both local and national levels.”
The former affiliates, Nine and WIN, have long been partners but in recent months the relationship has unravelled with WIN taking Nine to court over 9Now and live-streaming – a case WIN lost, which led to a complete redrawing of regional TV’s borders and Nine and SCA signing an affiliate deal in April, with WIN and Ten subsequently signing their own deal.
