Full digital TV service for regional and remote Australia


The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has announced that the Government has partnered with regional commercial broadcasters to ensure all Australians can access the same number of TV channels as is available in capital cities, no matter where they live.
The Government will provide $34 million over four years as part of its digital switchover program to enable commercial television broadcasters in terrestrial licence areas in regional South Australia, remote and regional Western Australia, and remote and central Australia to deliver all digital TV channels to their audiences via terrestrial broadcast
Previously, viewers in these areas could only access two commercial television services.
With this new funding viewers across the country, regardless of their location, will be able to access the same number of television services on the DTT platform.
Funding for this initiative will be fully offset from monies held in the Contingency Reserve to support Australia’s switch from analogue to digital television, which will be completed nation-wide by the end of 2013.
Source: Communications Ministry website
Item added: 15th November 2010