082/05
30 June 2005
SBS television extended to regional Australian towns
Regional towns with a population of 3000 or more will soon be able to receive SBS analogue television services, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, announced today.
“This continues the Australian Government’s commitment to improving the access of people in regional and rural Australia to our two national broadcasters,” Senator Coonan said .
Residents in 10 of the 22 regional transmission areas will have access to SBS for the first time: Clare (SA), Cobden (Vic), Collinsville (Qld), Condobolin (NSW), Eyre Peninsula (SA), Lileah (Tas), Margaret River (WA), Monto (Qld), Queenstown/Zeehan (Tas) and Wyalong (NSW).
The other 12 transmission areas to receive an extension under this program currently have access to an SBS television self-help service: Ceduna/Smoky Bay (SA), Charleville (Qld), Derby (WA), Exmouth (WA), Longreach (Qld), Nhulunbuy (NT), Ocean Shores (NSW), Roxby Downs (SA), Smithton (Tas), Tennant Creek (NT), Thredbo (NSW) and Tom Price (WA).
“The rollout of Government funded services to these 12 areas will mean that their communities will no longer be responsible for maintaining their access to SBS television and may lead to improvements in service coverage and quality,” said Senator Coonan.
“An estimated 130,000 people across all Australian States and Territories, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory, will benefit from these extensions.”
All 22 extensions will be completed between December 2005 and June 2006. A copy of the proposed rollout schedule is attached.
“This initiative builds on Government support that has already extended SBS’ analogue television service to all regional transmission areas with a population of 5000 people or more,” Senator Coonan said.
“As a result, SBS will have more than doubled the number of analogue services it transmits from 120 services in early 2000 to 254 services in mid 2006.
“The newest extensions will provide even more regional Australians with access to the world’s only multilingual and multicultural public broadcaster, providing the best of world television and innovative local programs that celebrate Australia’s diversity.”
SBS television broadcasts in more than 60 languages and is watched by more than seven million Australians each week. SBS estimates that its television service is currently accessible to 95 per cent of the Australian population.
SBS television broadcasts more documentaries, news and films than any other Australian free-to-air network and provides an eclectic range of internationally sourced and locally produced programs.
Attachment
|
No. |
Location/Area Served |
State |
Channel |
Existing SBS self-help service |
On-air date * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Clare |
SA |
UHF 57 |
N |
01/12/2005 |
|
2 |
Margaret River |
WA |
UHF 54 |
N |
01/12/2005 |
|
3 |
Charleville |
Qld |
VHF 7 |
Y |
01/01/2006 |
|
4 |
Longreach |
Qld |
UHF 54 |
Y |
01/01/2006 |
|
5 |
Nhulunbuy |
NT |
VHF 9A |
Y Currently UHF 55 |
01/01/2006 |
|
6 |
Collinsville |
Qld |
UHF 52 |
N |
01/03/2006 |
|
7 |
Eyre Peninsula |
SA |
UHF 62 |
N |
01/03/2006 |
|
8 |
Monto |
Qld |
UHF 53 |
N |
01/03/2006 |
|
9 |
Roxby Downs |
SA |
UHF 53 |
Y |
01/03/2006 |
|
10 |
Ceduna/Smoky Bay |
SA |
VHF 12 |
Y |
01/04/2006 |
|
11 |
Cobden |
Vic |
UHF 67 |
N |
01/04/2006 |
|
12 |
Condobolin |
NSW |
UHF 56 |
N |
01/04/2006 |
|
13 |
Ocean Shores |
NSW |
UHF 68 |
Y |
01/04/2006 |
|
14 |
Lileah |
Tas |
UHF 53 |
N |
01/05/2006 |
|
15 |
Queenstown/Zeehan |
Tas |
UHF 53 |
N |
01/05/2006 |
|
16 |
Smithton |
Tas |
UHF 38 |
Y |
01/05/2006 |
|
17 |
Tennant Creek |
NT |
VHF 10 |
Y Currently UHF 58 |
01/05/2006 |
|
18 |
Derby |
WA |
UHF 59 |
Y |
01/06/2006 |
|
19 |
Exmouth |
WA |
UHF 60 |
Y |
01/06/2006 |
|
20 |
Tom Price |
WA |
UHF 59 |
Y |
01/06/2006 |
|
21 |
Thredbo |
NSW |
UHF 31 |
Y |
30/06/2006 |
|
22 |
Wyalong |
NSW |
UHF 55 |
N |
30/06/2006 |
(*) Test transmissions are likely to commence up to 7 days prior to the listed “on-air date”.