Power To The People
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday March 14, 2005
After several years in the creative and corporate wilderness, community television is returning to Sydney. The Australian Broadcasting Authority has approved plans for the Channel 31 licensee, Television Sydney (TVS), to increase its maximum transmission power from 140 kilowatts to 850 kilowatts - a signal strength on par with that of SBS. Channel 31, which has aired in test transmissions for the past few years, is expected to launch by mid-year.
TVS is a partnership between SLICE T, a community TV group, and ETC TV, an educational group founded by the University of Western Sydney and Metroscreen. TVS's acting CEO, Laurie Patton, has told the ABA that it will air "exciting and entertaining programs reflecting and supporting the interests, concerns and passions of the diverse audiences and communities of Sydney". Meanwhile, Foxtel and Austar have agreed to carry a new not-for-profit community channel, Aurora. It screens documentaries, short films, community news, sports results and animation, and began broadcasting two weeks ago on digital channel 183. Aurora aims to encourage "understanding of Australian and international communities by presenting many points of view ... with a focus on social, community and faith issues". Both channels need broadcast material but both have guidelines to which material must comply. For more about Channel 31, visit www.tvs.org.au; for Aurora, visit www.auroratv.org
© 2005 Sydney Morning Herald