Central NSW and ACT switch off analog TV
- — 05 June, 2012 10:30
Central and southern New South Wales, the Australian Capital Terrority and Murrumbidgee have completed the switchover to digital TV, turning off analog TV signals “forever” this morning.
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy announced the transition: “Well, at 9am today, the analog TV signals that have served the region for more than 40 years have been turned off for good.
Today’s switchover is particularly timely as we enter a peak period of television viewing, with sports like netball, rugby league, rugby union and the AFL well into their seasons and the Olympics and Paralympics just on the horizon.”
With analog TV signals that have been running in the area since the 1970s switched off, the region is left with only digital TV signals. The digital TV switchover has been happening around Australia since 2010, with Mildura the first to switch in June of that year. At that time, 600 properties in the area indicated that they were not intending to switch over to digital TV and would be left without television access.
The digital TV switchover has already been completed in regional Southern Australia, northern Queensland, and regional Victoria. By the end of 2012, all regions apart from capital cities and remote areas like Alice Springs, Broome and Mt Isa will be digital-only.
The affected region of New South Wales switched over today stretches from Wollongong in the east to the state’s southern border near Bombala, inland to Hay and north to past Coonamble. A full map can be found on the Government’s Digital Ready website.
The switchover comes just as the Bureau of Meteorology has released a severe weather warning for the southern New South Wales region, as well as the ACT and Sydney. The warning will be broadcast on radio as well as on digital TV.
