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NBN Television

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NBN Television is an Australian commercial television broadcasting company, broadcasting from its main studios in Newcastle, transmitting to the northern half of New South Wales (including the Central Coast, Newcastle and The Gold Coast).

The station is a Nine Network affiliate, owned by SP Telemedia, a subsidiary of Washington H. Soul Pattinson.

Contents

Station History

The Beginning

NBN's original owners, Newcastle Broadcasting and Television Corporation (NBTC) was founded in May 1958, to begin preparations for the upcoming television licence allocations. The main shareholders in NBTC were United Broadcasting Company (owned by the Lamb family, owners of radio station 2KO), Airsales Broadcasting Company (owners of 2HD), and the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate (to be bought out by John Fairfax and Sons Ltd.). In accordance with Australian Broadcasting Control Board (ABCB) regulations, at least 50% of the company had to be locally owned. 750 000 shares were made available by the NBTC (at 10s. ($A1) each) and approximately 2000 people bought shares.

The ABCB awarded the commercial television licence for the Newcastle and Hunter Valley area to the NBTC on August 1 1961. The station would be transmitting on VHF channel 3, from a transmitter atop Mount Sugarloaf overlooking Newcastle. Council approval for the transmitter was issued on July 17 that year.

The call-letters, NBN, were derived from the company's name, Newcastle Broadcasting and Television Corporation, with the second N respresenting New South Wales. Unofficially, it stood for Newcastle Broadcasting Network.

Construction began in November 1961, supervised by engineers from RCA in the United States. For RCA, it was a step backwards, building a new station transmitting in black and white while colour television was fast becoming the norm in the United States. 90% of the original equipment was imported from the United States, and held in bond until they were due to be installed. Equipment was purchased with colour production and transmission in mind, so that only 20% modification would be required when colour came to NBN.

Studios would be built on a three-acre block at Mosbri Crescent, near the city centre.

Work on the 142-metre transmitter was delayed by a combination of weather, the conditions on the road up the mountain, and excited sightseers blocking work trucks during the weekends. During that time, the technical team stayed at the top of the mountain.

The construction took 8 months and cost $1.5 million dollars. Staff were required to work seven days a week (except on Christmas Day) to make the deadline.

Test transmissions took place in early 1962, and could be seen as far away as Muswellbrook, Avalon (Sydney), Katoomba, Lithgow, Gloucester and around Port Kembla.

Staff employed by NBN at this early stage included:

Opening Night

NBN commenced transmission on March 4, 1962.

NBN's first programme on launch night began at 6pm with a taped welcome by the then-Postmaster General Charles Davidson. Following that was a guided tour around the NBN studios by the original production manager, Matthew Tapp.

At 6.30, Murray Finlay began one of the longest news reading stints in Australia with NBN's first news bulletin. That was followed by The Phil Silvers Show at 7pm, and NBN's first movie, the 1937 movie Green Light, starring Errol Flynn.

The George Sanders Theatre series followed at 9pm, with the opening episode, The Man in the Elevator, followed by the first episode from the Halls of Ivy, then the first Mystery Theatre program, The Missing Head at 10pm.

Anglican Bishop James Housden gave the first evening meditation at 10.30pm, which marked the end of the first night of transmission for NBN.

Commercials on that first night included ads for Rothmans Cigarettes, Streets Ice Cream, Ampol, Commonwealth Bank, Shell, and W.D. and H.O. Wills, amongst other advertisers.

That first week, NBN had set the Australian television record for most time spent on air in a week for a new station (56 hours).

In the lead-up to the launch, the station promised at least two movies a week (Thursdays at 8.30pm and Sundays at 7.30pm), as well as men's interest programs each Saturday afternoon between 3pm and 4pm. Women were well covered with programs in the early afternoon, followed by children's programming from 4.30pm to 6.30pm weekdays and more "adult" programming 30 minutes before closedown each night.

1960s to the 1980s

To begin with, NBN's coverage extended from Bungwahl to Broken Bay and as far west as Aberdeen. It operated from 2.30pm to 10.30pm weekdays, 3.00pm to 11.00pm Saturdays and 3.00pm to 10.30pm Sundays.

Locally produced programs in those early days included:

In 1963, Consolidated Press Limited and News Limited bought 200,000 shares in NBTC. Shortly after, United Broadcasting Company sold its shares to Neatherley Investments Limited of Adelaide, and Australian United Investments of Melbourne. Each bought 100,000 shares.

Time Enterprises, purchased AUI's shares in November 1967.

In 1968-1969, NBN acquired a relay from the Postmaster-General to enhance their news service.

In 1970, NBN began upgrading its studios in order to begin colour production and transmission as soon as colour television was given the go ahead. Costing around $360,000, improvements included:

In 1972, NBN was granted a license to operate a translator in the Upper Hunter from Rossgole Lookout near Aberdeen, on VHF channel 10.

NBN began its long running newshour in April 1972, becoming the first television station in Australia to have a one hour news bulletin. The bulletin is still produced today, and is the only hour-long bulletin on regional television.

As a part of preparations for colour production, orders were placed with Rank Cintel and EMI of the UK, and Ampex of the United States for new colour equipment in 1972-73.

In 1973-1974, NBTC purchased local travel agency Jayes Travel. Other companies owned by NBTC included Colour Tran Labratories, and a joint venture with a foreign company via Pippita, involved with the rental of television sets.

Colour television tests began on October 7, 1974. Another set of upgrades for the studiocost $1.25 million. On March 1, 1975, the station began regular colour transmission.

Further transmitters were installed at Banderra Downs, Merriwa (also on channel 10) and at Mount Helen, Murrurundi (on VHF channel 1), at a cost of $180,000 in 1977.

In 1978, NBN made a bid for local station (and former owner) 2HD. This was eventually disallowed by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. Also that year, more extensions were added to the studios, including a new car park, and was officially opened on November 17, 1978.

On October 1 1979, NBTC officially became NBN Limited, the station itself renamed NBN Television. Prior to this, NBN was known either as Channel 3, NBN-3 or even NBN Channel 3.

At this stage, NBN was producing 20 hours a week of local and networked programming from its studios.

Also in 1979, the station purchased a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter for news coverage purpose.

In early 1980, NBN purchased Southern Television Corporation Limited, owners of NWS-9 Adelaide for $19 million. Also in 1980, NBN began a Teletext service and also bought the free local newspaper, the Newcastle Star. NBN also had a hand in the rebuilding of the old Royal Theatre, joining forces with Hoyts Theatres.

NBN was also one of the major sponsors of the University of Newcastle's radio station, 2NUR.

In 1981, Hadjoin Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of Parry's Esplanade Limited (later Parry Corporation), purchased 20% of NBN for $6.7 million.

By 1981, NBN's ownership structure was as follows:

Parry had then attempted to buy Wasley's stake in NBN, but was blocked by the Supreme Court. It was later revealed that the Lambs had opposed NBN's purchase of the Star newspaper and the attempt to buy 2HD. The company also faced possible suspension from the stock market if a decision wasn't made soon.

In order to resolve the tension, NBN sold NWS-9 to the Lambs in exchange for the majority stake in NBN in 1982.

In March 16th 1983, Hadjoin finally completed the purchase of NBN, officially delisting the company. It had cost Parry $6.76 per share for acquire 1,285,289 shares. Michael Wasley resigned at from the board at the end of the year as a result.

In 1984, plans for a second independent station in Newcastle had failed.

During that time, NBN and ABC were asked to leave the VHF band to accommodate FM radio. NBN would have been on UHF channel 51, and ABC on UHF channel 48. To this day, NBN and the ABC are still on 3 and 5A respectively.

Also in that time, a proposal to launch a radidated subscription television service with community broadcasting during the daytime hours had also failed.

In 1986, NBN bought the Hungerford Hill Wine Village for $4 million, and sold it two years later for $7.15 million.

NBN's footage of the tragic events of the 1989 Newcastle earthquake were beamed right throughout the world, and with NBN's reporters also being interviewed by international broadcasters.

Late 1980's to Today

In the late 1980's, NBN's Perth-based owner, Parry Corporation, spun off NBN into a new company, NBN Enterprises, and took a 40% stake in the new company, with Security Pacific Capital Corporation buying 60%. Parry sold their stake soon after, holding onto Papua New Guinea television station NTN, which NBN had helped to set up. Fulcrum Media later purchased the station.

This move was a source for confusion, as it was revealed that many companies, including the NSW State Superannuation Board and Westpac Banking Corporation, held substantial stakes in Fulcrum Media. Parry Corp's new owner CityWest issued a court challenge in order to get NBN back, but it was revealed that CityWest was held by Hong Kong company Hung Lung Corporation, thereby breaking foreign ownership laws.

Later on, NBN was sold to Washington H. Soul Pattinson for $36 million.

NBN was one of many stations opposed to aggregation, and offered an alternative by opening up a second station which it would operate for a period of time before selling it. Of course, this wasn't meant to be.

NBN logo 1994-2005
Enlarge
NBN logo 1994-2005

Following aggregation on 31 December 1991, the station's coverage expanded to cover all of northern New South Wales, beginning broadcasting 24 hours a day, and in stereo. The station took on the Nine Network affilation for northern New South Wales. Two years later, the logo was changed to a psuedo-Nine logo, similar to fellow affiliate WIN.

In 2002, NBN became the first regional station to produce a fully digital television friendly news set, that is, a news set which can be seen in full view at a 16:9 ratio.

In 2004, Washington H. Soul Pattinson began moves to transfer control of the station to its publicy-listed subsidiary, Soul Pattinson Telecommunications, which became SP Telemedia as a result.

On the January 30 2006, NBN adopted a new logo and on air graphics, in line with Nine's new logo. The news department didn't change over on this date, finally launching new grahpics on March 15.

News

NBN is highly regarded for its news service, which is the only regional mainland bulletin produced seven days a week.

The station has transmitted news from its first night, and is still the market leader in its home market (Newcastle and surrounds), but for that same reason, is beaten in Tamworth and Taree by Prime's news bulletins. It transmits local stories in all of its sub-markets.

NBN was the first to launch a hour-long news bulletin, beginning in April 1972, beating metropolitan stations by several years.

From launch night until the 1980's, Murray Finlay was the face of NBN's news bulletins, and was one of Australia's longest serving newsreaders.

In 1975, Finlay was joined by Ray Dinneen at the news desk, and has remained there since that time.

In 1979 The station won an award for it coverage of the Star Hotel Riot.

On March 1, 1985, Jim Sullivan began as news director at NBN, and is still there today, making him Australia's longest serving news director at the moment.

The station has aired bulletins at other times before (breakfast and late night), but now airs network news programs in those timeslots. The station doesn't air Nine's 11am or 4.30pm news bulletins, although it did air the 4.30pm bulletin with introductions and weather reports produced in Newcastle for a while, before being replaced with other programming.

The 6pm newshour uses reports produced both locally, and from the Nine Network and its affilates, mainly TCN-9, GTV-9, CBS, ABC and ITN.

This year, NBN aired its 20,000th news bulletin during the week of March 26.

News reporters and journalists

News Presenters

Sports

News Reporters

Weather

Newscasts

News Music

Past Newscast Titles

Past Personalities

Local Programming

NBN has always produced some local programming, and had set a record for most local programming and transmission hours in its first week of operation. It was also a member of Australian Television Facilities, and had a hand in the production of drama series Silent Number.

In 1963, NBN won the Logie Award for Enterprising Programming (which was only for country stations), and another Outstanding Contribution by a Regional Station award in 1978.

NBN purchased the Romper Room franchise from Fremantle International in 1967, which entertained many a four year old for over 3 decades. The original host was Miss Anne, followed by Miss Kim, aided by NBN's station mascot, the one and only Big Dog, both of whom are still at NBN to this very day!

Local travel agency Jayes presented their own travel show, Travel Time with Jayes, a Sunday night institution for over 20 years, starting in 1962.

Local sport also played a significant role, from the days of sending their first OB van out to local rugby league and football/soccer matches in the area, through to coverage of many of Newcastle's national sporting league teams, including (but not limited to) the NRL's Newcastle Knights and the now extinct Newcastle Falcons of the NBL.

NBN covered the Newcastle Rugby League, Northern Soccer League and the Lake Macquarie Golf Tournament, the Phillips Soccer League of Australia, the National Basketball League and various Sydney tournaments.

Other programs NBN have produced, or had a hand in producing, include:

Today, NBN produces its own hour of local, national and international news each weekday at 6pm, and a half-hour bulletin on the weekend, also at 6pm. In addition, NBN also produces Today Extra, a lifestyle/informercial-style program, which airs three days a week at 11am. They also air the local StarStruck performance, featuring local school children performing at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

In The Community

NBN has long been a supporter of many local events and groups in the area. They have been more noticeable through their sponsorship of the Newcastle Knights rugby league team, their logo has on their uniform for all bar one of the past few years. Other teams to receive their support include the former Hunter Pirates NBL basketball team (and their predecessor, the Newcastle Falcons) and the Newcastle United Jets soccer team (as well as their various reincarnations, such as the Newcastle Breakers).

Digital Television

NBN is regarded as one of the leaders in digital broadcasting, not only being the first to produce a nightly regional news bulletin in full digital format, using a digital friendly news set, but also Australia's first fully digital outside broadcast van.

NBN owns a subsidiary known as One80 Digital Post, which operates the OB van, and also a digital studio complex in Newcastle.

Notes

Transmitters: current as of 28th September 2004. Please visit [Digital Broadcasting Australia] and [the Australian Broadcasting Authority] to find out if more relays have been installed.

External links


Australian free-to-air television networks
Metropolitan: ABC - Seven Network - Nine Network - Network TEN - SBS
Regional: ABC - Prime (GWN) - Southern Cross - NBN - WIN (WA) - Southern Cross Ten - SBS


Broadcast television in the Northern New South Wales market
ABC - NEN 7 (Seven/Prime) - NBN 9 (Nine/NBN) - NRN 10 (Ten/SC Ten) - SBS
See also, broadcast television in the market

 

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