Broadcasting: Ongoing initiatives
ABC NewsRadio/Local Radio extensions and enhancements
The extension of ABC NewsRadio to all transmission areas around Australia with populations over 10,000 subject to the availability of spectrum in those areas, and improved ABC Local Radio transmission services for Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Geelong and their outlying areas.
On 22 September 2006, the Australian Government announced that the rollout of 17 sites in Stage 1 (13 new NewsRadio services, two NewsRadio enhancements, one Local Radio extension and one Local Radio enhancement) will commence on 1 April 2007 at a rate of 3 per month. Announcements about subsequent stages are expected to be made later in 2007.
Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)
SBS Self Help Subsidy Scheme
The Australian Government provides SBS with ongoing funding of $500,000 per annum to assist communities that wish to establish an analogue SBS radio, analogue television or digital television self-help service. As at 20 December 2006, SBS had approved funding for 58 self help TV services and 75 self help radio services, since the first round of applications in 2000.
SBS analogue television extensions
Extension of SBS analogue television to all transmission areas with a population of 3,000 or more. The programme involves a total of 22 extensions.
- 10 of the 22 areas accessed SBS for the first time: Clare (SA), Cobden (Vic), Collinsville (Qld), Condobolin (NSW), Eyre Peninsula (SA), Lileah (Tas), Margaret River (WA), Monto (Qld), Queenstown/Zeehan (Tas) and Wyalong (NSW).
- 12 existing SBS self help facilities were transferred to SBS: Ceduna/Smoky Bay (SA), Charleville (Qld), Derby (WA), Exmouth (WA), Longreach (Qld), Nhulunbuy (NT), Ocean Shores (NSW), Roxby Downs (SA), Smithton (Tas), Tennant Creek (NT), Thredbo (NSW) and Tom Price (WA).
As at the end of January 2007, all new services were on air and all but two existing self help services had been transferred to SBS.
Television Black Spots—Alternative Technical Solutions Programme
The Television Black Spots—Alternative Technical Solutions Programme was established in October 2002 to finance solutions for black spots identified under the Television Black Spots Programme where there was insufficient spectrum available to establish an analogue television retransmission facility or an analogue facility was considered not viable because it would not be able to serve at least 80 per cent of the households in the black spot area.
As at the end of April 2007, over $0.9 million had been approved to fund equipment to enable access to direct‑to‑home satellite services and $2.5 million for two digital retransmission solutions.
Regional Equalisation Plan
Under the Regional Equalisation Plan (REP), the Government is providing up to $250 million to assist regional and remote commercial television broadcasters with the conversion to digital television. Assistance is in the form of capped annual rebates against broadcasters' licence fees supplemented by a grants component where necessary to achieve total agreed REP assistance. REP licence fee rebates are claimable up to 31 December 2012.
The REP meets 50 per cent of the capital costs of digital conversion and 50 per cent of the first eight years operating costs of broadcasters' digital television services.
From commencement of the REP in 2000-01 through to 2006-07, $151.5 million of assistance has been provided. This has facilitated significant digital television rollout throughout Australia. The most recent industry estimates indicate that more than 90 per cent of Australians can now access all digital television services intended for their area, and over 96 per cent of the population has access to at least one digital television service.