The Rudd
Government has announced that it will implement a satellite service provide
digital television to viewers in regional blackspot areas.
"All regional
Australians will now receive the same television services as people in the
cities," said the Minister Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy,
Senator Stephen iron "This is a fantastic outcome for people in regional
Australia, many whom have received limited television services for many
years."
This historic
decision will dramatically grove the choice and quality of television services
for regional Australia as we move towards digital switchover."
For the first
time all free-to-air digital television services, including the original three
commercial and two national channels, as well as new digital services such as
ABC2, ABC3, SBS TWO, GO!,
7TWO and ONE
HD, will be available all Australians, no matter where they live”
The satellite
service will provide regional viewers with access to the local news currently
broadcast in their TV license area via a dedicated local news -channel."
While the
final cost of the digital satellite broadcasting service will be determined
following negotiations between ,broadcasters and satellite service providers,
the Government is committing 40 million per year over the four-year forward
estimates to build and operate the service, for the potential benefit of up to
247,000 households across Australia.
This is an
ongoing Government commitment.
Under an
agreement reached with all television broadcasters across Australia,
broadcasters will upgrade more than 100 existing regional analog `self-help'
transmission facilities to operate in digital, while the Government will fully
fund and build a new digital satellite broadcasting service for regional
viewers who are unable to receive digital television from those facilities.
The measures
are part of Australia's ongoing switchover to digital-only television and will
be in place before analog services are switched off in each regional broadcast
license area.
Viewers who
currently rely on `self-help' sites that will be upgraded by broadcasters
under this agreement will simply need to install a high definition set-top-box
to access a full suite of digital television channels.
Any regional
households not able to receive digital television from the upgraded
`self-help' sites will be served by the new satellite, which will also carry
the full suite of digital channels. In order to access the new satellite
service, these households will need to install a satellite dish.
"The
Government will provide a satellite conversion subsidy to eligible households
currently served by `self-help' transmission sites which are not upgraded to
digital by the broadcasters," Senator Conroy said.
“This
landmark agreement would not be possible without the cooperation of
Australia’s free-to-air broadcasters an I would like to acknowledge their
constructive approach to digital switchover."
Senator
Conroy said that the Government will be writing to `self-help' transmission
licensees detailing the new measures as well as providing further information
to local communities.
The
Government is currently consulting with broadcasters to identify the list of
`self-help' sites to be upgraded to digital for announcement in the first half
of 2010
The list
will include new digital terrestrial transmitters at Underbool and Ouyen in
the Sunraysia/Mildura region, the first license area to switch to digital-only
television. The satellite service for the Sunraysia/Mildura region is expected
to commence prior to 30 June 2010, when analog television services are due to
be switched off in that license area.
The proposed
MPEG4 service was first revealed in PSN October 2009.
The Rudd
Government has released a Government green paper seeking public comment on the
benefits and costs of maximising Australia's digital dividend.
The `digital
dividend' is the term used to describe the radio-frequency spectrum made
available as a result of the switchover to digital-only television.
"The
transition to digital-only television will free up spectrum that is currently
used to deliver analog television services," Senator Conroy said.
This valuable
resource will potentially provide a once in a generation opportunity to
encourage the introduction of new communications services and to improve
existing services for the benefit of Australian businesses and individuals."
"Releasing
the digital dividend will be an important microeconomic reform that will boost
productivity in the Australian economy by enabling new services and
applications."
The green
paper establishes a Government target of 126 megahertz (MHz) of contiguous
ultra-high frequency spectrum. Achieving this will involve moving some digital
television services to new channels.
"Technical
studies demonstrate that this target is feasible," Senator Conroy said.
"It is
anticipated that a contiguous block of dividend spectrum will be suitable for
a larger number of potential communications uses, maximising the potential
benefits that the spectrum could provide to Australians."
The
Government is committed to achieving a maximised digital dividend while
maintaining Australians' existing access to free-to-air digital television
services.
However,
before making its final decision on the size and location of the digital
dividend, the Government is inviting comments on the benefits and costs to the
Australian community and economy of realising its target.
"I encourage
all interested parties to access the green paper and provide comments by the
26 February deadline," Senator Conroy said.
