- Nine HD
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Nine HD 
Launched 17 March 2008[1] Closed 2 August 2009[2] (breakaway programming)
26 September 2010Owned by Nine Entertainment Co. Picture format 1080i (HDTV) Slogan Welcome Home (until launch of GEM)
You're Watching Nine HD (until breakaway programming ceased transmission)Country Australia Language English Broadcast area Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,
Darwin, Adelaide, Perth,
Regional QLD, Southern New South Wales, Regional Victoria,
Tasmania, Northern New South Wales,Replaced Nine Network (HD Simulcast) Replaced by GEM Availability At Time Of Closure Terrestrial HD Digital Channel 90 Channel 80 (in regional areas via WIN and NBN) Cable Foxtel HD+ Channel 209 Nine HD was an Australian television channel, owned by Nine Entertainment Co., that launched on 17 March 2008.[1] The channel was available to high definition digital television viewers in metropolitan and regional areas through a number of owned-and-operated and affiliate stations. Originally Nine HD simulcasted blocks of programming from the Nine Network, in addition to time-shifted news, movies, drama and entertainment programs.[1] Following the Go! launch in August 2009, Nine HD was replaced by an HD simulcast of the Nine Network.[2]
Contents
History
The beginning
Nine HD was officially announced on 27 September 2007, to replace the Nine Network'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.[3]
Although originally expected to be the first free-to-air commercial television channel introduced to metropolitan areas since 1988,[4] the surprise launch of rival Seven HD, on 15 October 2007, one month before transmissions were scheduled to begin[5] meant that Nine HD was not the first high definition multichannel in Australia. Following this, plans for a November launch in 2007 were postponed until 2008. On 10 March 2008, PBL Media announced that it would launch the channel on 17 March 2008 at 10:30pm, with its first program, Nightline.[1][6]
Opening night
Nine HD officially commenced transmission on 17 March 2008 from PBL Media's four metropolitan owned-and-operated stations, TCN Sydney, GTV Melbourne, QTQ Brisbane and NTD Darwin, in addition to WIN Corporation's two metropolitan stations NWS Adelaide, and STW Perth as well as on its regional stations RTQ Queensland, WIN southern New South Wales, VTV Victoria, and TVT Tasmania.[1] The first official program on launch night began at 10:30pm, National Nine News's late-night news program Nightline.[1] This was followed by military drama E-Ring at 11:00pm, with the movie Unanswered Questions marking the end of the first night of exclusive transmission for Nine HD after its conclusion at 2am.[7]
Programming
Further information: List of programs broadcast by Nine NetworkBefore the launch of Nine HD, the channel always broadcast simulcast content from Nine's main channel 'Nine' in high definition. However, from the official launch of Nine HD as a separate channel, exclusive breakaway programming was broadcast for several hours usually from 10.30pm til around 2am the next morning most nights of the week. During other hours, Nine HD remained a simulcast of Nine.
From May 2009, in addition to late night breakaways, Nine HD marked changes to its daytime schedule with the addition of breakaway programs between 11am and 4.30pm. The new-look daytime schedule featured Seinfeld, a midday movie and repeats of Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie.
Exclusive programming which aired during breakaways on the channel included Comedy Inc. (reruns only), E-Ring, The Mountain, Related, Invasion, Four Kings, The Comeback, Big Day, Twenty Good Years, Hot Properties, Happy Hour, Kidnapped, Notes from the Underbelly and a few episodes of Justice. Nine HD also broadcast most of Nine Melbourne's football-themed programming, notably Footy Classified and the AFL version of The Footy Show to a national audience.
All Nine HD breakaway programming ceased transmission on Sunday 2 August 2009 in preparation for the launch of Go! on 9 August. As a result, the Nine Network HD channel once again became a full simulcast of Nine's main channel.[2]
Nine HD was replaced by GEM on 26 September 2010, During that, Nine lost all youth, news and comedy content in HD, but instead screen female, crime and lifestyle content.
Availability
Nine HD was available exclusively in 1080i high definition from PBL Media's four metropolitan owned-and-operated stations, TCN Sydney, GTV Melbourne, QTQ Brisbane, NTD Darwin and NBN northern New South Wales. Nine HD programming is carried via WIN Corporation's two metropolitan affiliate stations NWS Adelaide, and STW Perth as well as on its regional stations RTQ Queensland, WIN southern New South Wales, VTV Victoria and TVT Tasmania.
Identity
When Nine HD was launched in 2008, the logo used the Nine Network's nine dot logo with HD in a circle beside the numeral 9. The on-air look featured a dark look inside one of the 3D discs used in the 2008 logo.
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Nine HD Channel Media Release" (Press release). PBL Media. 17 March 2008. http://pblmedia.com.au/images/pblmediaimages/Document/Nine%20HD%20Channel%20Media%20Release.pdf. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ a b c Knox, David (3 August 2009). "9HD makes way for GO!". tvtonight.com.au. http://tvtonight.com.au/2009/08/9hd-makes-way-for-go.html. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
- ^ "High definition broadcasting requirement". Australian Communications and Media Authority. 13 June 2007. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/1001/pc=PC_100034. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
- ^ Devlyn, Darren (27 September 2007). "Gyngell to lead network revival". Herald Sun. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22488771-662,00.html. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "Seven's new multi-channellling is on-air". Seven Media Group. 16 October 2007. http://www.sevencorporate.com.au/_uploads/Files/7-hd-16-october.pdf. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
- ^ Knox, David (10 March 2008). "Nine HD launches 17 March, to be sure, to be sure...". tvtonight.com.au. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/03/nine-hd-launches-march-17-to-be-sure-to.html. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
- ^ Knox, David (17 March 2008). "9HD guide: Invasion, Taken, E-Ring". tvtonight.com.au. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/03/9hd-guide-invasion-taken-e-ring.html. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
External links
Nine Entertainment Co. Television ChannelsGo! · GEMDefunctNine Guide · Nine HDOtherDarwin Digital Television · Australian News Channel (Sky News Australia · Sky News Business Channel) (33%)Magazines APC · Australian Geographic · Australian NetGuide · Australian Women's Weekly · Cleo · Cosmopolitan · Dolly · Empire · FHM · Grazia · Harper's Bazaar · Men's Style Australia · Motor · NW · OK! · PC User · People · The Picture · Recipes+ · Rolling Stone · Rugby League Week · Street Machine · Take 5 · Top Gear · TV Week · Wheels · Woman's Day · Zoo WeeklyOther AssetsSee alsoCategories:- Television channels and stations disestablished in 2009
- Television channels and stations disestablished in 2010
- Australian television networks
- Digital terrestrial television in Australia
- Television channels and stations established in 2008
- Defunct Australian television channels
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