0/5

South Australian viewers get TV upgrade

C31 Adelaide becomes 44 Adelaide and more regional viewers get access to Nine.

Two upgrades for TV viewers in South Australia in the last few days.

Thebarton-based C31 community launched its new digital channel, rebranded as 44 Adelaide, today.

Adelaide’s community channel is the last cab off the Community TV rank to make the transition to digital.

“We couldn’t keep the name 31 when we’re actually on 44 digital, that’s a bit ordinary,’” station manager Brian Dutton.

C31 attracts about 340,000 viewers in an 80km radius each month, but is hoping to grow its audience share, with most Australians now accessing digital TV.

44 Adelaide is hoping the switch will see about 10 new shows, improved picture quality and more sponsorship dollars.

C31 will continue to be simulcast on the analogue signal until the spectrum is decommissioned in 2013.

Meanwhile viewers in Spencer Gulf began receiving Channel Nine yesterday on Digital channel 8.

The coverage is telecast from Sydney, not Adelaide via Southern Cross Television. Viewers will get a Sydney based news service, along with the NRL, but there are hopes it could change in the future.

Negotiations will need to proceed with WIN Television in order to provide Adelaide-based news.

Broken Hill in NSW also began receiving Nine from yesterday.

Source: Weekly Times Messenger, ABC

13 Responses

  1. I wonder why C31 Melbourne sticks with its C31 branding now most people access it through 44.

    Causes much confusion. Even Freeview lists their LCN at 31, not 44 in their guide:
    freeview.com.au/tvguide/default.aspx?regionId=94

  2. I’m in the Spencer Gulf and Nine actually began here on October 31st? And yes, having the NRL in prime time is annoying. We get Hey Hey and other shows later than Adelaide so our programme guide is of no use.

  3. People living in Spencer Gulf region is forced to watch Channel Nine Sydney news because it shares the same TV channel with Broken Hill. But good news for Broken Hill residents as they finally gets a second news bulletin from within NSW (GTS/BKN and Southern Cross Ten both broadcast Adelaide news bulletin), and also gets regular NRL coverage from next year.

  4. Why do so many broadcasters have a complete lack of inspiration when it comes to naming their stations opting, to use the VHF or UHF channel number instead of something original?
    Now we are switching to digital we have C31 on C44, 7 on 6, 9 on 8, Ten on 11 and that’s just in the capital cities.

  5. A lot of Adelaidians dont actually know about this channel, as it is harder to receive than SBS Analogue. Hopefully with digital it will become more well known which could lead to more sponsership and community involvement. I havent seen this channel for years, as we found it hard to get a signal.

Leave a Reply