Residents in rural and remote Australia are concerned about the loss of satellite delivered local radio services with the roll-out of new digital television satellite receivers. The new satellite service, which currently does not carry radio channels, requires old receivers to be replaced. Critics of the ABC say that the national broadcaster is playing games in an effort to extract more money from government, while the ABC says it is just working through a process and will eventually supply the service to the outback.
The issue first came to notice when the ABC reported Cape York grazier Bill Raymond saying people in the area are disappointed the new set-top boxes can’t pick up radio:
“Once daylight breaks, all [terrestrial] radio reception ceases up in this country… This new VAST one has come in [and] we’re not getting any radio reception now. There’s quite a few people who have got the new VAST decoder, but they haven’t – well, I hope they’re going to put all the channels back on it.”
One government source says the ABC is aiming to get another $4 million by holding up the radio feed, but the ABC denies this, saying it is “working with key stakeholders to have our radio services currently on the analogue satellite platform transferred across to the VAST digital system.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has told radioinfo:
“The government is aware of concerns raised about ABC radio services not currently being available on VAST, even though they are available on the old Aurora satellite service… The ABC has commenced planning to provide its radio services on the VAST platform. This is a complex exercise given that the ABC needs to plan to meet the needs of listeners at regional, state and national levels.”
The government is “in discussions with the ABC” about funding options to ensure that the ABC radio channels transition to the VAST satellite service well before the switch off of the old Aurora service at the end of 2013.
An ABC spokesperson did not address the $4 million issue, but explained to radioinfo:
“Both broadcasters and the public are currently making the transition from analogue systems to a digital-only television environment, which will be completed nationally by December 2013. The ABC is working with key stakeholders to have our radio services currently on the analogue satellite platform transferred across to the VAST digital system, which we expect to occur by the time of final analogue switch-off. ABC Radio services will continue to be available on the analogue satellite platform until it ceases transmissions in 2013.”
The news is not all bad however, because, when installing a new set top box listeners do not have to disconnect the old RABS analogue decoder, and “it can continue to be used to listen to ABC Radio services until those services become available through VAST.” The ABC is making this information available to consumers who ask about the lack of radio on the new satellite service.