Regional free-to-air TV future likely to look different 

MT DUNDAS, near Cavendish, is the site of the major TV transmitter in the region, with its reach so extensive even residents of Mount Gambier have hoisted up high-mast antennas to successfully watch content 30 minutes early from it. But some residents in Coleraine have to rely on a local transmitter on the Telstra mobile tower to get the ABC, and Casterton also has a low-power repeater from Mt Dundas, but for all the channels. Look Cabling Solutions director, Jono Lowin said the Mt Dundas site is managed by WIN-TV. Also, the partial map of Australia shows the massive areas (in grey) where Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) is available, effectively highlighting the low-density population of the country with the relatively small number of transmitters around the total land mass. With VAST being offered by the Federal Government as a solution to viewers of Channel 10 in Mildura after their transmitter was shut down recently, it may yet serve more free-to-air customers in regional areas in the future. But with a cost of about $800 for a receiver set-up, the idea was criticised by the Opposition as a “tin-ear option”. Photo: CATHY NORRIS. 240725cn004 / IMAGE: SUPPLIED.
Mark Rabich

FOLLOWING the switch-off of Channel 10 broadcasting into Mildura on June 30 due to its perpetual unprofitability, industry stakeholders and some in the wider regional community have been left wondering about the future of free-to-air (FTA) TV services as increasingly society has moved towards watching content primarily via internet connections.

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