The Government has offered Australia's three mobile operators, and vividwireless, renewal of their existing spectrum allocated on 15 year licences in the late 90s and early 2000s at set prices, while the Government expects to rake in $3 billion.
According to ACTA, the government needs community
television to go digital as part of its switchover strategy, and Patton
says “all the research by the Australian Communications and Media
Authority and others, shows that one of the key 'drivers' for people
contemplating going digital is the opportunity to receive extra
channels.”
Patton also said that ACTA rejected suggestions
that Community Television should be moved to broadband, “reportedly one
of the options being put forward in some circles.”
“It is simply ridiculous to suggest that Community Television be
’shunted’ on to broadband,” according to Mr Patton, and, he adds,
“anyone who knows anything about the key audience groups who watch
Community TV would know that far too many do not have access to
broadband and are not likely to have this any time soon.”
According to ACTA, more than four million Australians tune in to their
local community station each month and, it claims, this figure was
increasing steadily until people started switching to digital.
And, Laurie Patton claims the community television sector is arguably
the single biggest producer of local content for television in
Australia, with “CTV programming targeted at audience groups that are
under-served by the other channels.”
“The sector provides access for special interest groups, multicultural
communities and social networks that are not well catered for by the
mainstream media.”
ACTA says that community television also provides a dynamic training
ground for people aspiring to work in television and acts as an
incubator for new talent and new program concepts.
Patton said ACTA had received confirmation that community television
channels would be included in the Freeview Electronic Program Guide
(EPG) once they commenced digital transmission, which he maintained
would “dramatically increase the exposure of the community channels and
lead to much improved viewing audiences.”
David Bass
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