Community TV Granted A 12 Month Lifeline

While many thought 2015 would mark the end of community television it has been confirmed that broadcasters have been given an extra 12 months before they must become available only through online sources. 

As TV Tonight reports, in what was possibly Malcolm Turnbull's last move as Communications Minister before he resigned and eventually became the new Prime Minister of Australia this week, all five community TV stations received letters from the Minister confirming an offer to remain on free-to-air TV until 31 December next year.

Speaking in a prepared statement, Channel 31 general manager Richard McLelland confirmed that they had received the offer and were considering their options. 

"The C31 Board of Directors, along with the boards of the other four stations, and in conjunction with its member organisations, is currently considering the offer and its conditions and will formally respond at the appropriate time," McLelland said. 

While some extra time is exactly what the community TV broadcasters are after, they are aware that it is only a matter of time until they must consider their options online.

"Over the past eight months the C31 staff and board have been meeting and working with key players in the online video delivery services sector," McLelland announced. 

"Concurrently, C31 has employed the services of a key technology partner – Hostworks – who is now quickly developing brand new, platform agnostic content delivery methods for CTV."

It is understood that C31 Melbourne have also recently entered a partnership with YouTube enterprise, Totem.