Ten HD

This article is about the Australian channel. For the Indian TV channel owned by Zee Network, see TEN Sports.
Ten HD
Launched 16 December 2007 – 25 March 2009
2 March 2016 (revival)
Network Network Ten
Owned by Ten Network Holdings
Picture format 1080i (HDTV) 16:9
Slogan Turn on 10
Country Australia
Language English
Broadcast area Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth
Replaced Ten (HD simulcast)
Sister channel(s) Ten
Eleven
One
TVSN
Spree TV
Website tenplay.com.au
Availability
Terrestrial
Freeview Ten owned (virtual) 13
Cable
Foxtel (virtual) 210

Ten HD (stylised as TEN HD) is an Australian free-to-air television channel that was originally launched on 16 December 2007 on channel 1. The channel was available to high definition digital television viewers through Network Ten owned-and-operated stations. The multichannel broadcast live sport, entertainment, films, documentaries, science fiction and news.[1] The channel ceased broadcasting on 25 March 2009, and the following day was replaced by One. Following the government's decision to remove the SD Primary Channel limitations, the channel returned as a HD simulcast on 2 March 2016 on channel 13.[2][3]

History

Origins

From 2002, this was interspersed with a loop of high definition demonstration material during business hours, for viewing in the showrooms of television retailers, at the conclusion of an equivalent service by Network Ten.

Breakaway era

Ten HD was officially announced on 14 September 2007, to replace Network Ten's existing high definition service, a simulcast of its standard definition and analogue services, through the use of an amendment to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 in 2006. The Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television) Act 2006 permitted television networks to launch digital multichannels, provided that they are broadcast exclusively in high definition.[4]

Although originally expected to be the first free-to-air commercial television channel introduced to metropolitan areas since 1988,[5] the surprise launch of Seven Media Group's HD offering, 7HD, on 15 October 2007, two months before transmissions were scheduled to begin,[6] meant that Ten HD was launched as the second high-definition multichannel in Australia. PBL Media announced the creation of a similar multichannel, 9HD, on 27 September,[7] which was launched on 17 March 2008.

Ten's parent company, and shareholder in metropolitan ratings system OzTAM, Ten Network Holdings Limited, began discussions with the ratings system operator to have digital multichannels, such as Ten HD and ABC2, included in television ratings for the first time on 17 September 2007.[8] As well as this, on the same day, it was announced that the national weekend editions of Ten News would be timeshifted from Ten onto Ten HD, an hour delayed at 6 pm, to directly compete with Seven News and National Nine News. This would have seen Ten News formally broadcast at 6 pm for the first time since 1992,[9] however, the timeslot was later amended to 5.30 pm.

In preparation for the launch of Ten HD, Ten's digital terrestrial channel line-up was updated on 19 November 2007, with changes consisting of LCN1 redirecting Network Ten's current high-definition simulcast.[10] Following this, on 21 November 2007, Ten Network Holdings Limited announced that it would launch the channel on 16 December 2007 at 5.00 pm, with the first program, Totally Wild.[11]

Opening night

Ten HD officially commenced transmission on 16 December 2007 from the network's five metropolitan owned-and-operated stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.[5] Prior to the official launch, at 5.00 pm the first program, Totally Wild, was broadcast. Following this, for the first time since 1992,[9] Ten News and Sports Tonight were broadcast in direct competition with Seven News and National Nine News, timeshifted by thirty minutes to 5.30 pm and 6.00 pm respectively.[12]

The first official program on launch night began at 8.30 pm, the 2001 movie Black Hawk Down.[12] This was followed by Bon Jovi's Lost Highway Tour at 11.30 pm and Video Hits Presents: The Music of Supernatural at 12.25 am. Video Hits Up-Late marked the end of the first night of transmission for Ten HD at 12.50 am.[13]

In the lead-up to the opening night, the channel promised up to eleven hours of time-shifted programming from Ten in addition to fifty hours of exclusive programming, which included live sport, entertainment, films, documentaries, science fiction and news.[1][5] This consisted of six movies per week, in addition to National Geographic documentaries in the afternoon, from 3pm to 5pm, music-oriented programming following the Sunday Night Movie, along with a primetime breakaway schedule on Thursdays and from 10.30 pm to 11.30 pm Monday to Wednesday.[13]

In addition to high definition broadcasting on channel 1, a standard definition simulcast of Ten HD was provided on channel 11 as Ten SD2.

Full simulcast and launch of One HD

From 2009, commercial networks in Australia were allowed to broadcast a standard definition subchannel. Rather than introduce a new digital service, Ten decided to relaunch Ten HD as a sports-only channel, to be named One HD (now One), and use its standard definition simulcast on channel 11 to broadcast a standard definition simulcast called One SD.[14] Before One HD's official launch, most breakaway programming shown on Ten HD ceased from 1 January 2009, and only showed a high-definition broadcast of the existing Ten digital service, along with a few sports-based breakaway programs. Ten HD officially shut down on 25 March 2009, with One HD launching the following day.

2016 revival

After the Nine Network restarted broadcasting 9HD in November 2015, Ten confirmed that it was working on rebroadcasting Ten HD. However, they did not put a time frame on it, stating that they are "working through some technical and rights issues".[15] On 11 February 2016, some smart TVs began receiving notification messages advising of Ten HD through a "ghost broadcast" that soon disappeared.[16]

Ten later recommenced simulcasting in high definition on 2 March 2016 on channel 13 from 3pm, in time for the 2016 season of the V8 Supercars. As a result, One was reduced to a standard definition broadcast on both channel 1 and channel 12.[2][3]

Ten uses MPEG-4 technology to broadcast the channel.[17]

Programming

Ten HD broadcast programming consisting of news, live sporting events, entertainment, films, documentaries and science fiction. In addition to this, themed programming line-ups were broadcast on specified days, including Sci-Fi Saturday.[18] The channel provided fifty hours of exclusive content per week including up to eleven hours of time-shifted programming from Ten, as well as additional programming from popular Ten franchises such as Australian Idol, The Biggest Loser, and So You Think You Can Dance.[5]

Overseas programming on Ten HD included; Psych, Battlestar Galactica, Cane, Conviction, Eureka, Friday Night Lights, Journeyman, One Tree Hill, Over There, Smallville, The 4400, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Shield and Veronica Mars. In addition to this, high-definition documentaries from the National Geographic Channel and Granada Television screened on weekdays from 3 pm to 5 pm.

News

Further information: Ten Eyewitness News

To compete directly with Seven News and Nine News, Ten HD broadcast local editions of Ten News, timeshifted by half an hour, on weekdays at 5.30 pm, allowing the second half of the bulletin to compete with the offerings from the other commercial networks.[12] On weekends, the national bulletin was delayed by half an hour at 5.30 pm and Sports Tonight followed at 6.00 pm.

Ten HD simulcast the Early News and Morning News, 6 am and 11 am respectively. It did not simulcast Late News but instead showed exclusive programming from 10.30 pm, with a drama series and then a late movie, followed by repeats of Video Hits Up-Late specials.

Sport

Further information: Ten Sport

Ten Sport broadcast live or near live exclusive and simulcast sporting events on Ten HD. These included Nascar Sprint Cup Series, Nascar Nationwide Series, Formula One, MotoGP, the NFL, the Indian Premier League,[19] the World Golf Championships, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the Mission Hills World Cup and the New Zealand PGA Championship.[20]

In addition to this, the Australian Football League was simulcast on the channel, with all of Ten's games filmed in high definition.[21]

Formula One Grand Prix and MotoGP races were televised on Ten HD, usually on tape delay.

Most of Ten HD's sports content was kept after it was relaunched as One.

Availability

Ten HD is available exclusively in 1080i high definition.

In its former inception, Ten HD was available exclusively in 1080i high definition from the network's five metropolitan owned-and-operated stations, TEN Sydney, ATV Melbourne, TVQ Brisbane, ADS Adelaide, and NEW Perth.[5] The breakaway programming was never available outside of the metropolitan areas, although Southern Cross Ten had planned to rebroadcast the service from mid-2009: it instead launched the One service.[22] Foxtel added the channel to its line up for cable customers in June 2008, when the subscription television provider launched its Foxtel HD+ service.[5]

Upon its revival on 2 March 2016, Ten HD covers all Ten-owned metropolitan stations as well as the Gold Coast (covered by its Brisbane station).[17]

Logo history

References

  1. 1 2 "CanWest's TEN To Launch TEN-HD". Broadcaster. 19 September 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  2. 1 2 Knox, David (22 February 2016). "TEN in High Definition from March 2". TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 "TEN HD Simulcast Set To Launch On 2 March". Ten Network Holdings. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "High definition broadcasting requirement". Australian Communications and Media Authority. 13 June 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "New channel, new era: Introducing TEN HD" (PDF). Ten Network Holdings Limited. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2007.
  6. ↑ "Seven's new multi-channellling is on-air" (PDF). Seven Media Group. 16 October 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
  7. ↑ Devlyn, Darren (27 September 2007). "Gyngell to lead network revival". Herald Sun. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  8. ↑ "TEN seeks separate ratings for digital TV". The Australian. 17 September 2007. Archived from the original on 18 September 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  9. 1 2 "Ten has news for big rivals". The Australian. 17 September 2007. Archived from the original on 18 September 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  10. ↑ "FAQ for TEN's Digital Services". Ten Network Holdings Limited. 24 October 2007. Archived from the original on 31 October 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2007.
  11. ↑ "Ten reveals 2008 lineup". Melbourne: The Age. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
  12. 1 2 3 "New channels for 7, 10" (PDF). Melbourne Observer. 19 September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
  13. 1 2 "TEN-HD Arrives" (PDF). Ten Network Holdings Limited. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 July 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2007.
  14. ↑ "TEN first with new digital sport service". The Australian. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  15. ↑ "What Australian TV will look like in 2016". news.com.au. 27 December 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  16. ↑ Knox, David (11 February 2016). "Ready for TEN HD?". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  17. 1 2 "TEN HD Frequently Asked Questions". Ten Network Holdings. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  18. ↑ Familari, Peter (10 October 2007). "TV's big switch". Herald Sun. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
  19. ↑ "Australia to get live coverage of IPL". cricinfo.com. 11 February 2008.
  20. ↑ "TEN Announces Winning 2008 Lineup" (PDF). Ten Network Holdings Limited. 21 November 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
  21. ↑ "TEN gives HD sporting chance". The Australian. 7 December 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  22. ↑ "Media Spy – The Spy Report – Southern Cross Ten to carry ONE". Media Spy. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, April 30, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.