It seems that every time we turn around and wonder what's taking digital radio so long, digital TV takes another opportunity to laugh in it's face and make a few more changes to itself that it claims are for the better. But are they? Or are those changes just a series of steps that are bringing TV back to the horror show that it was back in the analogue age? To investigate, we will examine each channel individually to determine whether someone (if anyone) has got digital TV right.
Firstly, a point of clarification. I will be referring to the channel and network names as they are known and broadcast in the capital cities. Regional and rural broadcasters across the country essentially air the same thing (with the possible exception of Imparja TV). And let's face it, it's how we refer to them all anyway, regardless of where in the country we are.
ABC 1
The digital mirror of the ABC's analogue channel. Even with the digital TV revolution, the ABC hasn't tinkered with the scheduling line-up over the years, which is a good thing. If it was on ABC1, it won't be moved exclusively to a digital-only channel any time soon. Even with ABC News 24, any news or current affairs show that was on ABC1 is going to stay there.
ABC 2
Digital TV done right. A mix of programming from ABC1 at alternate times along with extra programming not seen on ABC1. As one of the first digital channels, it didn't see much of a change in its programming line-up until recently. It has taken the courageously bold move of airing The Daily Show and The Colbert Report every night at prime time from 7:10 p.m. to 8 p.m., which could well pay off if they stick to it as the digital switch-over rolls out across the country.
ABC 3
Digital TV done right, again. There are two options when it comes to running a good digital channel. You can offer alternate programming aimed at a broad range of audience demographics, as ABC2 has, or you can target one particular demographic and cater to them all the time. In this case, it's kids. Now before you start thinking that it's hours and hours of shows aimed at 6 - 12 year olds, think again. As the day progresses, there's a shift in which age group the channel is aiming at. By the time we get to prime time, we've reached programming for the more mature 15 - 18 year olds. The channel also wisely ceases operation each night at 9 p.m., but I also think they could have got away with airing educational documentaries for teachers to record overnight.
ABC News 24
The newest digital channel on the block, and one which pay-TV channel Sky News, The Australian, and just about everything else owned by a certain man named Murdoch doesn't think should exist. (They'd rather you pay for your news, you see.) Done right it'll be a great resource for the news junkie as well as a good channel to have on in the background to stay informed of news throughout the day. Done wrong, and it'll be a waste of the spectrum that could be airing shows on ABC1 in high definition.
SBS One
The digital mirror of SBS's analogue channel. Like the ABC, SBS hasn't tinkered with it's main channel line-up much either. In fact, they probably haven't changed it at all (except for the high profile loss of Top Gear).
SBS Two
SBS's secondary digital channel underwent a subtle facelift several months ago. It used to be known as the World News Channel, airing nothing but international news bulletins from various news organisations around the globe. In my opinion this was a brilliant idea on the part of SBS since it perfectly encapsulated what digital TV could be used for, but sadly it was not to last. Now the bulletins only last until prime-time, when SBS switches over to more generic alternative programming.
Channel Ten
The digital mirror of Network Ten's analogue channel. Like SBS it hasn't made any changes to its line-up on its primary channel. However, unlike the other channels, it actually can't make any changes. It's doesn't have a generic secondary channel. (Yet. Apparently there'll be one in 2011.) That's because of...
One HD
Network Ten's 24 hour sports channel. (For the purposes of One HD programming and this guide, professional wrestling is deemed to be a sport.) There was a bit of grumbling about how we'd be losing high definition content of the shows on Channel Ten, but that seems to have died down. For what it is, it's actually done pretty well. As much sport is shown live as possible, and there's a nice variety of sports that you don't see aired on primary channels such as baseball, American football, various forms of motor racing, etc. They even showed about 18 hours of Le Mans live.
Channel 7
The Seven Network's primary channel has perhaps undergone the most changes compared to other channels since the digital boom. That's not because of the opportunity to vary programming on a secondary channel, but more because Seven has a notorious habit of pushing back programs into the witching hour if they don't rate well, or just axing them completely after three weeks on air. Channel 7 used to be accompanied by 7HD, which did air "breakaways" throughout the day, but those eventually seemed to vanish into obscurity and die. Instead, we now have a proper secondary digital channel.
7TWO
The mere existence of 7TWO means that it can avoid the criticism of axing or pushing back the starting time of shows by airing them in prime time on this channel instead. 24 and Lost, which used to be staples of Channel 7 until the later seasons, were pushed further and further back into the night as the season number increased. They were given a second lease of life in prime time on 7TWO. Basically, what Seven does wrong on it's primary channel, it does right and makes up for on 7TWO.
Channel 9
There isn't really much to say about the Nine Network's digital mirror of its analogue channel. Even when digital came along, it stuck to what worked before digital, and it seems to be working now. It uses its secondary digital channel to air completely separate content, so there's really not much reason to change the sort of thing that makes Channel 9 what it is. It still has hour long local news bulletins and about 6 hours of CSI every week, but that's what the public loved Channel 9. Why change it?
Go!
What was once a well respected digital channel has been ruined by the ratings game. The Nine Network has realised that Go! is doing pretty well (it has even beaten SBS One of a few occasions), and so has been continuously tweaking the programming to try and squeeze in every last viewer. The result is that the block programming and repeat airings that made it appealing have been destroyed in favour of airing trash that they think will rake in the ratings.
Let's hope that the other digital channels don't Go! down the same path....
Interesting thought:
ReplyDeleteDigital Radio is taking much longer to bring out because few people change their radios as often as they, for example, change their cars.
Consider:
Digital TV might be moving faster than digital radio simply because the qualities of TV (not necessarily the content on said device) are still improving at a dramatic pace. In ten to twenty years, we've gone from TVs having average audio quality without a quality expensive linked sound system to some pretty good quality sound. 60 to 90 cm CRTs to 2 metres Plasma and LCD.
People will buy TVs to keep up with technological advances.
Radio?
Hasn't really come up with something new in years. No one really replaces their radio all that often, outside of possibly a new car. They tend to last quite a reasonable amount of time. Their audio quality has not really changed all that much and they are likely to take a back seat to other activities when they are on... much like the audio devices/mp3 players that are in common use that can act as a radio.
And so, Digital Radio is going to be a slow burner for a few more years to come.
Anyhew...
I have only seen a few digital channels. Kalgoorlie only just went to some of the mainstream channels, I think, and I do not have a set top box.
I can tell you that I might be stuck like glue to OneHD if I did have one, only switching over to another station if something amazing was on another channel.
I have seen Go! and... meh.
I think that you probably have hit the nail on the head for most stations.