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Regional WA ready to switch on new multichannels

Viewers in south-west WA are about to start seeing new multichannels from the end of the month.

Viewers in south-west WA are about to start seeing new multichannels as work on a Mt Lennard transmitter site nears completion.

GWN7 and WIN Television will add new channels from July 28 in the Greater Bunbury area, completing the following suite:

GWN7, 7TWO and 7mate
WIN, GO! and Gem
TenWest, OneHD and 11

GWN7 / Prime7 Chief Executive Officer Doug Edwards said, “Regional WA viewers will now be able to enjoy the whole digital experience. Put simply – this means more choice of free-to-air television with superior quality picture and sound. With the addition of 7TWO and 7Mate, we are now offering greater choice for our audience”.

“Digital coverage will be progressively rolled out across the South West by December 2011, with the remainder of Regional WA in early 2012.”

WIN Television Manager Legal, Regulatory & Network Affairs Shirley Brown said, “The roll out of the full suite of digital channels has been a long wait for the viewers of regional WA, we are pleased that the wait is nearly over and viewers will receive the same services as viewers in Perth have received for some time.”

The new channels join ABC and SBS digital, already available.

19 Responses

  1. The Delays since first announcing digital back in 2006 have been because GWN & WIN colluded when the Tenwest licence was given to them and have been intentially holding off until the Government got impatient and started throwing taxpayers money at them to get them off their backsides.

    It now taken 10 years to catch up to Perth and Bunbury is only 180klm away, mind you we’ve only got and still have one Commercial FM Radio Station and that also only arrived about 10 years after Perth switched over.

    Just hope they know what they are doing this time and we don’t have ongoing transmitter problems, like some of there other sites – namely Karratha.

  2. thanks @smacca
    i look forward to being able to watch 7mate in particular, shame onehd is moving on from sports, being from the midwest of the US, i do like my NBA and MLB…

  3. @Barrie: Sticking the WA free-to-airs on Foxtel would only benefit Foxtel viewers and wouldn’t have made the terrestrial launch any cheaper or easier. Having said that, I think they’re stupid not to consider this in the future, given that Foxtel viewers per capita in regional WA must be higher than everywhere else.

    @whale watcher: Bunbury is the first of many sites in the South West area to be upgraded. The networks have pledged to have the entire South West, including Albany, done by December 31, 2011.

  4. Goody gumdrops. My rellies will finally be able to see what I’ve been on about with One and Eleven. The other channels, not so much.

  5. @ Paul 2011. Which gives up to 5 months. Win SA need to put up 6 new channels and will do so by the end of the year I believe while Southern Cross GTS/BKN will put up the remainder in the Spencer Gulf somewhere between September and December. I doubt they would this month as they would have annouced it by now. SC Media provide updates on their site gtsbkn.com.au and do have a facebook page in case you don’t know.

    Soon every Australian will be able to receive Go, Gem, Eleven and so on.

  6. another good reason why foxtel/austar should carry FTA channels for free. if all mulit-channels were on there then would be easier for regional viewers and surely would cost less in infrastructure.

  7. @Kenny
    Yes, Ten West is jointly owned by GWN7 and WIN. There are around 50 transmission sites in regional WA that are owned by the broadcasters. There are also heaps of self-help sites that are owned privately or by local councils and shires. GWN7 and WIN are pledging to have the digital rollout completed by mid-2012 on all their sites. Self-help sites have the option to either upgrade the transmitter or convert everyone in the vicinity to VAST – the satellite alternative. So for the first time, we’re going to see some TV transmitters around the state torn down in favour of satellite!

  8. Who owns TenWest? WIN+GWN like in Tas?
    Anyone added up how many transmitters & antennae WIN and GWN have to instal to bring the new channels to regional WA?
    Would be interesting to know, as then the delays can be put into perspective, comparing to capital city stations.

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