Signal success for TV viewers

FOUR communities in the Scenic Rim have been saved having to pay for a satellite service to watch free-to-air television.

Scenic Rim mayor John Brent. . Picture: Contributed

FOUR communities in the Scenic Rim have been saved having to pay for a satellite service to watch free-to-air television.

The Scenic Rim Regional Council has struck an agreement with transmission company TX Australia to upgrade existing retransmission towers to broadcast digital TV signals.

TX Australia is a joint-venture company owned equally by the three commercial metropolitan television networks, Seven, Nine and Ten, and formed in 1999 to operate, manage and maintain transmission and retransmission facilities in major cities.

The agreement will see the council and TX upgrade the towers at Kooralbyn, Canungra, Rathdowney and Mt Alford in preparation for the end of the analogue television signals in the Scenic Rim in 2013.

However, there is still no agreement in place for the retransmission tower covering the Maroon area.

Scenic Rim Mayor John Brent said the deal was a win for residents of the four small communities.

"This is a great outcome for Scenic Rim residents serviced by there facilities," he said.

"Until the retransmission towers were originally installed, many people in these coverage areas could not receive even an analogue signal.

"We will be making best efforts to ensure the residents serviced by the Maroon retransmission facility receive equal treatment.

"We are continuing to explore options for the Maroon facility as these residents are as deserving as any other community in the Scenic Rim."

Scenic Rim Cr Heather Wehl said the Deed of Licence between council and TX was the best possible outcome for residents of the four towns.

"As part of this agreement, council will continue to meet the running costs of the sites which include site leasing, security of tenure for the required term, electricity and ongoing maintenance," she said.

Cr Wehl said the council would continue to look into what could be done to upgrade the Maroon-based tower as well.

Digital switchover for the Scenic Rim region is scheduled for June 30, 2013.

The retransmission towers send signal to black spots not covered by more major towers.

Without the upgrade, television viewers in the region would be unable to receive television signals with existing aerials after the analogue signal is turned off.

These households would have been forced to pay for the VAST satellite system transmission in order to view free-to-air television stations.

Originally published as Signal success for TV viewers