TDT (TV station)
| |
|---|---|
| Channels | |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | 10 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 22 December 2003 |
| Nine (30 June 2016 – 1 July 2021) 10 (22 December 2003 – 30 June 2016, 1 July 2021 – present) | |
Call sign meaning | Television Digital Tasmania |
| Technical information | |
Licensing authority | Australian Communications and Media Authority |
| Links | |
| Website | www.tdtv.com.au |
TDT is a digital television station in Tasmania, Australia. It is jointly owned by WIN Corporation and Southern Cross Austereo, operating as Tasmanian Digital Television.
History
In Australia, the major capital cities, and a majority of the regional areas, are served by three commercial broadcasters. However, some less populated areas are only granted two licences (and until the early 2000s, one in some cases) because there is not enough advertising revenue in some areas to sustain three separate commercial broadcasters.
In 2002,
TDT was the first digital-only commercial channel in Australia. TDT's effect on the digital television market in Tasmania was widely anticipated, as success or failure would strongly guide the digital plans of other broadcasters.
As part of the joint venture, Southern Cross Broadcasting is responsible for handling playout (from their Canberra facility), and transmits this signal via satellite to WIN Television transmission facilities in Tasmania. WIN Television handle the business administration and advertising sales for TDT.
In May 2016, WIN Television announced it was taking up a Network Ten affiliation across its stations from 1 July 2016, affecting its Tasmanian station
Programming
Following significant public speculation about how programming would be carried by the new station, one of two options were suggested: Southern Cross would drop one of its affiliations (either Seven or Ten) and TDT would pick it up; or TDT would also become a dual Seven and Ten affiliate, and carry the programs that Southern Cross opted not to broadcast.
Southern Cross did not want to disrupt its existing market-leading program line-up, so the agreement TDT signed with Ten allowed Southern Cross to have 'first pick' of Ten programming. If both networks wanted to broadcast a program, Southern Cross had to broadcast it at the same time as TDT. If Southern Cross wanted to broadcast a Ten program at a different time, TDT would usually broadcast an alternative program. Examples of this included Thank God You're Here, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Wedge. Huey's Cooking Adventures was an exception, with both networks screening it at different times.
From its initial broadcast in late December 2003, to late January 2004, TDT showed a direct feed of ATV-10 in Melbourne. As access to the TDT Ten broadcast gradually spread across the state in the following years, Southern Cross agreed to progressively drop Ten programs from its line-up. Southern Cross dropped
During the AFL season, TDT simulcast the Ten News Melbourne bulletin (presented by George Donikian and broadcast to Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth) on Saturday nights at 6:00pm which complemented Ten's Saturday AFL coverage. On Sundays, Ten's national bulletin presented by Natarsha Belling from Sydney was broadcast.
On 1 July 2016, TDT started to rebroadcast the
News
In 2012, the station began airing short local news updates produced by Southern Cross Austereo from their studios in Canberra. Production was moved to Southern Cross' Hobart newsroom in October 2018 where they adopted a similar look to the network-produced local bulletins broadcast on Southern Cross' mainland Nine affiliate stations. The Tasmania updates are currently presented by Madeline Kerr.
As a Network 10 affiliate, TDT simulcasts the hour and a half-long
TDT used to simulcast the hour-long
Availability
TDT is simulcast in digital
Main transmitters
| Region served | City | Channels | First air date | ERP | HAAT1 | Transmitter Coordinates | Transmitter Location |
| Southern Tasmania | Hobart | 11 (VHF) | 22 December 2003 | 50 kW | 1004 m | 42°53′42″S 147°14′10″E / 42.89500°S 147.23611°E | Mount Wellington |
| Northern Tasmania | Launceston | 43 (UHF) | August 2004 | 600 kW | 839 m | 41°23′27″S 147°25′28″E / 41.39083°S 147.42444°E | Mount Barrow |
Notes:
- 1. HAAT estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.
See also
- Darwin Digital Television
- Mildura Digital Television
- Southern Cross 10
- Television broadcasting in Australia
References
- ^ "WIN free-to-air TV shake-up 'a big deal' for regions, Tasmanian manager says". ABC News. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ "Dead air one day away in Tasmania as Nine Network and TDT TV deal remains in limbo". The Mercury. Retrieved 2 July 2016.