Clearer picture for Adelaide’s C31 but future is fuzzy
Jun 10
South Australian Premier Mike Rann today switched on a new transmitter for community television station C31.
The State Government pitched in $205,000 for the transmitter, which will provide a better picture for viewers in Adelaide and those within an area stretching to Balaklava in the north, Murray Bridge in the east and Goolwa in the south, all about 80km from the city.
Premier Rann, on his Twitter page, said C31 is “doing a great job in putting the local back into local television”.
C31 has in excess of 300,000 viewers tuning in each month in Adelaide, and community stations reach audiences of four million nationally.
But the future of community television is far from certain, despite the apparent commitment from the State Government today.
The new transmitter will continue C31’s broadcasts in analogue, despite viewers the nearing complete switch-over to digital television in 2013.
C31 Adelaide station manager Brian Dutton told Messenger Newspapers that Freeview stations had received help from the Government to simulcast their content on digital, while community stations had not, saying it was “not a level playing field”.
Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy says the government is committed to helping community stations convert to digital “well before” 2013 although there has been no date given.
Source: Messenger Newspapers, @MikeRann
Splashmo June 10th 2009