Digital radio and television
Dr Rhonda Jolly
Switchover from analogue to digital television is due to
commence in regional Australia in the first half of 2010 in
Victoria’s Sunraysia region. It is expected that switchover
will be complete by the end of 2013. The Budget has provided
$138.7 million over three years to assist regions in South
Australia, Victoria and Queensland to undertake
switchover.
Funding of $119.7 million over three years has been
provided to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the
Digital Economy to deliver a digital television information and
communications campaign. The Department will also be funded to work
with industry to increase digital take up.
In addition, this funding will initiate a technical assistance
program for eligible households in Victoria, South Australia and
Queensland. There is no indication in the budget papers as to what
the eligibility criteria for this program will be. However, the
Government has previously announced that an assistance program for
the Sunraysia area would be available to certain households. These
would be where at least one resident is a recipient of the full
aged or disability support pension, a carer’s payment or
equivalent payment from the Department of Veterans'
Affairs.[1]
Assistance is likely to involve similar measures as have been
introduced overseas, that is, giving pensioners set top boxes to
convert their analogue television reception to digital and
providing upgrades to cables or antennas.[2]
This type of program has proven to have its pitfalls overseas,
not least of which has been the cost. A similar program in the
United Kingdom for example has been allocated funding of £603
million.[3] An
allocation of $15.1 million has been provided over three years for
Centrelink to work with the Department of Broadband, Communications
and the Digital Economy in delivering assistance under this
measure.
One consistent loser in recent budgets, especially in relation
to the digital switchover saga has been the community broadcasting
sector. This Budget provides a mixture of good and bad news for the
sector.
Community broadcasters will welcome the funding of
$2.5 million over four years that has been provided to
continue the community broadcasting National Training
Program. This program involves the delivery of accredited
management and broadcasting skills training to community
broadcasters, particularly those in rural and remote areas. It also
delivers special training in radio for the print handicapped and
assistance for Indigenous and ethnic broadcasters.
The Government’s commitment to infrastructure funding over
four years of $5.3 million, which will assist in the sector’s
transition to digital radio broadcasting, has also been seen as a
positive development. The Community Broadcasting Association of
Australia welcomed the assistance noting that community radio
stations will now be able to confidently ‘extend their unique
and diverse services to their various communities’.[4]
The bad news for community broadcasters is that community
television has received no assistance for it to convert to digital
transmission. In 2001 the commercial free-to-air broadcasters were
given access to spectrum at no cost to assist them with
simulcasting arrangements during the switchover to digital, but
community television was not included in the deal. One community
broadcaster argues also that there has been significant funding
already provided to the public broadcasters and that what is
required for the community broadcasters to convert will be
‘peanuts’ in comparison.[5] All the sector is asking for is
‘a level playing field’.[6]
In March 2009, in conjunction with an announcement that
community television stations would be included in the Freeview
digital electronic program guide, the Government gave assurances
that the sector would not be left behind in the migration to
digital.[7] Prior to
the Budget, the Opposition argued that there was ‘no valid
excuse’ not to address the issues of support for community
television and expectations in the sector that funding would
eventuate were high.[8]
Following the budget disappointment for the sector, one
community broadcaster argued:
This government is willing to pour money into schemes to try to
convince the viewing public to convert to digital television,
whilst overlooking the main driver of digital conversion: content.
C31 Melbourne [Melbourne’s community television station]
believes that making its wide array of unique locally-produced
content available on digital would be an excellent stimulus to
digital take-up.[9]
The sector has called for urgent meetings with the Government to
discuss the long term future of community broadcasting.
[1].
S Conroy (Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital
Economy), Package to drive digital television
transmission, media release, 29 January 2009, viewed 15 May
2009, http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/003
[2].
P Hudson, ‘ABC the big winner as SBS gets the flick’,
smh.com.au, 13 May 2009, viewed 15 May 2009,
http://business.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/
abc-the-big-winner-as-sbs-gets-the-flick-20090512-b201.html
[3]. (United Kingdom) Department for
Culture, Media and Sport, The Digital Switchover Scheme,
April 2008, viewed 18 May 2009,
http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/The_Digital_Switchover_Help_Scheme.pdf
[4].
Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA),
Community radio set to go digital!, media release, CBAA,
13 May 2009.
[5].
G Dee, ‘C31: Community television shafted by the government
in the digital era’, Crikey newsletter, 13 May
2009.
[6].
G Dee.
[7].
S Jackson, ‘Community stations to get digital guide’,
The Australian, 13 April 2009, viewed 18 May 2008,
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25324582-7582,00.html
[8].
N Minchin, Budget must end uncertainty for community
television, Liberal Party of Australia website, 10th May 2009,
viewed 18 May 2009, http://www.liberal.org.au/news.php?Id=3088.
[9].
G. Dee.