9 replies to this topic

[alanh]

Minister Conroy's Media Release

AlanH

[Timmy Downawell]

About time too.

This may present an opportunity for the ABC to add more channels via this mux, as well.

[garyv5758]

alanh, on Nov 4 2009, 11:49 AM, said:

Minister Conroy's Media Release

AlanH

Great news, where would I be without Blokes World, Two Wheel Torque, In Pit Lane and Vasili's Garden ?
Common sense has finally prevailed.

[191]

Perhaps community TV and any other new channels should be MPEG-4 AVC.

It's not like current STB's receive Ch31 now, so they won't be "missing out".

Just throwing that out there, it's not worth much.

[viewer]

How can the govt. federally support a channel named "Community TV", when it is only distributed to select areas. Obviously the regional taxpayer is again ignored. Again, discrimination due to location.

Edited by viewer, 04 November 2009 - 06:30 PM.

[dryfry]

I like this bit in that media release..

"A new community licensee in Perth will commence digital-only broadcasts in early 2010."

[Quarromb73]

Now if I can just learn to attend to life outside the tank as well...

[jaded72]

viewer, on Nov 4 2009, 07:15 PM, said:

How can the govt. federally support a channel named "Community TV", when it is only distributed to select areas. Obviously the regional taxpayer is again ignored. Again, discrimination due to location.

The constant whinge by people in regional areas about getting all the same services as those in metro areas is getting a bit tiresome (not just TV, but pretty much anything...) It's called economies of scale people - if you choose to live outside a metropolitan area you should accept that you are never going to get the same level of service that is only economically viable in a big city. For better or for worse we live in a market economy - if you don't like the service you get, move to somewhere where it's better.

[pgdownload]

jaded72, on Dec 7 2009, 09:38 AM, said:

The constant whinge by people in regional areas about getting all the same services as those in metro areas is getting a bit tiresome (not just TV, but pretty much anything...) It's called economies of scale people - if you choose to live outside a metropolitan area you should accept that you are never going to get the same level of service that is only economically viable in a big city. For better or for worse we live in a market economy - if you don't like the service you get, move to somewhere where it's better.

I agree there does seem to be a bit of a disconnect, even to the absurd point of saying if a technology can't be provided across all of Oz then no areas should have it.  

However, if "economies of scale" are used as an argument then it should be noted that pretty much nothing would be provided to most regional areas (roads, gas, electricity, phone, schooling, TV, NBN, postage etc.). All of these things are not viable for business to provide (at a profit). It is solely up to the government to require / provide / foster some level of service to far away lands (Like Tasmania). As mentioned, country bumpkins are paying the same taxes as us metro people for usually "lesser" returns. Maybe there should be a regional tax concession to account for the disparity and then we can all relax?

Of course the growing political insistence that everything must be 100.0000% ubiquitous is not really helpful.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

Edited by pgdownload, 07 December 2009 - 10:12 AM.

[Timmy Downawell]

It all depends on where community channels get their funding. TVS' website doesn't say. If it's dependent on ongoing funding from the federal government then sure, people living outside the metro areas probably have a case.

The fact that the government has finally, belatedly, thrown a lifeline to the community channels to get them onto digital is just a one off.