ATN7’s vintage farewell to analogue

atn7_goodbyeSydney’s ATN7 has signed off its analogue signal this morning after 57 years and one day of service (the station launched 2 December, 1956) with a flashback to its nightly shutdown — the song My City Of Sydney performed by Tommy Leonetti, an American entertainer who hosted a variety show for the channel in the late 1960s.

The clip features Leonetti browsing various Sydney landmarks including the Harbour Bridge and the under-construction Sydney Opera House.

The sign-off concludes with ATN7’s vintage animation of mother kangaroo putting its joey to bed.

ABC1, Nine, Ten and SBS One made no fanfare of their analogue switch-off and just cut to static at 9.00am.

With ATN’s analogue signal gone from the Channel 7 frequency SBS One has now begun digital transmission on VHF 7 in Sydney in preparation for the retune next March. SBS One will simulcast on both VHF 7 and UHF 34 until the retune date.

Melbourne and Remote Central and Eastern Australia are now the last two markets in Australia with analogue television — due to switch off next Tuesday, 10 December.

YouTube: TelevisionAU

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2013/12/atn7s-vintage-farewell-to-analogue.html

1 comment

  1. I hope Melbourne does better, especially our ABC. Credit where it is due. Well done 7 Sydney.

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