SBS expands regional coverage

sbs_2008SBS will be made available to around 95 remote communities — many for the first time — in the television network’s biggest expansion since its inception in 1980.

The expansion, including the installation of new transmitter sites as well as replacing community-owned facilities with fully-funded digital services, will bring the suite of SBS digital TV stations, and re-broadcast of SBS Radio, to an additional 130,000 viewers.

In a statement issued earlier today SBS managing director Michael Ebeid said:

“This announcement is exciting news for Australians living in rural and remote communities and a significant milestone in SBS’s evolution. It means more people will receive SBS digital television than ever before.

“The expansion of digital television services will enable SBS to use its unique position within the Australian media landscape to contribute to social cohesion, by telling stories which truly explore and celebrate our diversity in a way only SBS can.”

The expansion of SBS broadcasts was flagged in the last Federal Budget and addresses some of the imbalance between SBS and the ABC and commercial television coverage.

Sites that will receive the suite of SBS digital television services for the first time are (in alphabetical order):

1. Augusta, WA
2. Bicheno, TAS
3. Binalong Bay, TAS
4. Bombala, NSW
5. Bonalbo, NSW
6. Bordertown, SA
7. Cann River, VIC
8. Casterton, VIC
9. Coffin Bay, SA
10. Cooma/ Monaro, NSW
11. Corryong, VIC
12. Genoa, VIC
13. Halls Gap, VIC
14. Hopetoun, VIC
15. Kalbarri, WA
16. Keith, SA
17. King Island, TAS
18. Kyogle, NSW
19. Lameroo, SA
20. Mallacoota, VIC
21. Miles, QLD
22. Mingenew, WA
23. Mitchell, QLD
24. Murgon, QLD
25. Nannup, WA
26. Nyngan, NSW
27. Orbost, VIC
28. Pinnaroo, SA
29. Rosebery, TAS
30. St Marys, TAS
31. Strahan, TAS
32. Swansea, TAS
33. Tara, QLD
34. Walcha, NSW
35. Walgett, NSW
36. Waratah,TAS
37. Wilcannia, NSW
38. Sunshine Coast South, QLD

Sites that previously had a self-help service and will now have a funded permanent SBS digital service are (in alphabetical order):

1. Adelong
2. Balranald, NSW
3. Barcaldine, QLD
4. Batchelor, NT
5. Batlow, NSW
6. Blackall, QLD
7. Bourke Town, NSW
8. Brewarrina, NSW
9. Bridgetown, WA
10. Bruce Rock, NSW
11. Burra, SA
12. Carnamah, WA
13. Captains Flat, NSW
14. Cardwell, QLD
15. Cloncurry, QL
16. Coober Pedy, SA
17. Cooktown, QLD
18. Cunnamulla, QLD
19. Dampier, WA
20. Derby, TAS
21. Fitzroy Crossing, WA
22. Glenden, QLD
23. Halls Creek, WA
24. Hughenden, QLD
25. Jabiru, NT
26. Kambalda, WA
27. Kandos, NSW
28. Khancoban, NSW
29. Kojonup, WA
30. Kununurra East, WA
31. Lightning Ridge, NSW
32. Maydena, TAS
33. Meekatharra, WA
34. Merredin, WA
35. Merriwa, NSW
36. Moora, WA
37. Morawa, WA
38. Mount Magnet, WA
39. Mullewa, WA
40. Murrurundi, NSW
41. Norseman, WA
42. Pannawonica, WA
43. Paraburdoo, WA
44. Pemberton, WA
45. Quorn, SA
46. Roebourne, WA
47. Southern Cross Town, WA
48. Springsure, QLD
49. St Helens, TAS
50. Talbingo, NSW
51. Tawonga South, VIC
52. Thursday Island, QLD
53. Tumbarumba, NSW
54. Walwa/Jingellic
55. Weipa, QLD
56. Winton, QLD
57. Wyndham

SBS has yet to issue a schedule for the rollout of the network expansion but given the number of sites and remote areas to be covered it may take some time — although some regional communities in Western Australia are already on the expanded network, including Bruce Rock, Carnamah, Kununurra East, Kojonup, Merredin and Norseman.

Source: SBS

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2013/08/sbs-expands-regional-coverage.html

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.