The Community TV sector has been given a last-minute reprieve from compulsory shutdown from the airwaves.
Communications Minister Senator Mitch Fifield has allowed the Community TV stations in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth an additional six months on air.
Melbourne’s C31 tweeted the announcement earlier Monday evening:
We just received notice from @SenatorFifield that CTV broadcast licences have been extended by 6 months. More info to follow. pic.twitter.com/VsyeGXP90r
— C31 (@C31Melbourne) December 12, 2016
The stations were originally scheduled to exit the airwaves at the end of 2015 but were given a 12-month extension, albeit with strict conditions imposed.
Sydney’s TVS chose not to accept the extension and went off air last December.
This extra extension will see C31 plus interstate stations 31 Digital Brisbane, 44 Adelaide and WTV Perth now on the air until at least mid-2017.
The stations were planning to end their free-to-air transmission with a 144-hour live broadcast. It is not yet known if this broadcast will still go ahead as planned.
Source: C31
3 thoughts on “Community TV allowed extra airtime”
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It`s like giving a prisoner a death sentence and then revoking it at the last minute just to be cruel.
As an antenna installer I keep telling my customers it will go off and then BAM – the Government changes it mind (3rd time ?) It also doesn`t help us but not knowing whether to use straight VHF antennas or VHF/UHF antennas as the ACMA keep telling us VHF will be the new standard in all capital cities.
Make your mind Lib/Nationals – even if this is the only thing you ever make your mind up on….
I tell my customers if their keen on CH44 then contact their local member.
Either get rid of these channels or keep them but don`t keep on changing your mind ! !
Hear, hear! If you’re gonna revoke a licence, at least revoke it for good and don’t keep changing your mind every year!
Boom – there goes Briz 31. Bastards!