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9Gem

From Alfawiki
9Gem
Company typeFree-to-air digital TV multichannel
IndustryTelevision broadcasting
FoundedSeptember 26, 2010; 16 years ago (2010-09-26)
FounderNine Network
Headquarters
Sydney
,
Australia
Area served
Australia
OwnerNine Network
Websitewww.9now.com.au

9Gem is an Australian free-to-air digital TV multichannel launched by the Nine Network in September 2010. Originally named "GEM," the channel primarily features a variety of general entertainment and movie content.

History

Although 9Gem was slated to debut at noon on 24 September 2010, technical difficulties at Nine's playout centre caused a delay, with the channel ultimately launching at 6am on 26 September 2010.

According to Nine Network CEO David Gyngell, GEM was introduced as part of the network's strategy to develop complementary channels aimed at capturing key audience segments. Its programming slate includes lifestyle series, films, and a blend of new and previously aired shows sourced from Nine and GO!. The launch of GEM followed the successful introduction of GO!.

On 27 January 2014, the channel replaced the Supertext closed captioning logo with Nine’s own captioning emblem.

2015 rebrand

On 26 November 2015, Nine Network undertook a rebranding of its digital channels, renaming GEM to "9Gem." With the return of 9HD on channel 90, 9Gem shifted to channel 92 and downgraded from HD to SD. Subsequently, on 16 December 2015, 9Gem refreshed its on-air presentation to align with a unified visual style across all Nine channels, including updated program guides and promotional material.

2016 regional media shakeup

Following a multi-year affiliation agreement signed on 29 April 2016 between Nine and Southern Cross Austereo, which replaced WIN Television as the primary regional partner effective from 1 July 2016, 9Gem began broadcasting through Southern Cross in Regional Queensland, Southern NSW/ACT, Regional Victoria, and Tasmania on channel 52. Meanwhile, viewers in the Spencer Gulf SA/Broken Hill NSW area continued receiving 9Gem on channel 80.

Return of high definition

After the closure of Your Money on 17 May 2019 freed up channel 95 in Nine’s metropolitan DVB-T multiplex, an MPEG-4 HD simulcast of 9Gem launched first in Darwin on 14 June 2019. This HD feed expanded to Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide on 19 June, followed by Sydney and Melbourne on 20 June. On 1 August, NBN upgraded the channel to HD for Northern New South Wales and the Gold Coast regions. This HD rollout preceded coverage of the 2019 Ashes and latter stages of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, marking the first time since 2015 that 9Gem was broadcast in high definition. The standard definition feed remained available on channel 92.

2021 regional media shakeup

On 12 March 2021, Nine renewed its affiliation with WIN Television, resulting in the relocation of 9Gem to channel 81. Later, on 22 March 2023, WIN announced plans to launch an HD version of 9Gem in late July. This upgrade was confirmed for implementation on 27 July 2023, converting the existing SD broadcast on channel 81 into an HD service.

Programming

Aiming at a wide-ranging audience, 9Gem showcases content from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, and the US that complements programming found on Nine and 9Go!.

The channel’s lineup predominantly appeals to female viewers but includes various genres such as crime dramas, lifestyle programs, classic sitcoms, comedies, live sports events, and movies broadcast in HD. Early offerings included Showtime series like The Big C and Weeds. Additional titles featured are Birds of a Feather, Bless This House, Conan, entries from the CSI franchise, The Golden Girls, and Law & Order. Locally produced Australian shows include Alive and Cooking, McLeod's Daughters, What's Good For You?, Amazing Medical Stories, Sea Patrol, Getaway, and The Taste.

Moreover, the network airs films and television properties from major studios such as Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, StudioCanal, Starz Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, and Universal Pictures.

Comedy

Drama

Light entertainment

Lifestyle

Sport

Religious

Comedy

Documentary

Drama

Soap opera

Light Entertainment

Lifestyle

News and current affairs

Reality

Factual

Sport


News

While 9Gem typically does not feature news shows, it previously aired Nine News at 7 between August and October 2013, introduced as a response to Seven's competing 7pm news bulletin. The channel has also replayed Nine's Newsbreak, simulcasting it from the primary Nine channel and 9Go!.

Sports

In various regions, 9Gem has broadcast live sporting events, including Rugby Union World Cup fixtures in 2011 and segments of Nine's cricket coverage during the main channel’s 6:00pm news slot. Since 2012, it has provided live National Rugby League (NRL) games in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania, directly contending with Seven/7mate’s AFL broadcasts. This approach catered to local audiences, notably Melbourne Storm supporters who otherwise faced late-night viewing times. Occasionally, Channel Nine Melbourne airs Storm matches on its main channel during these periods.

Starting from Round 4 of the 2014 NRL season, 9Gem unexpectedly discontinued live Friday night and Sunday afternoon NRL broadcasts in Adelaide, reverting to late-night telecasts instead, which led to dissatisfaction among local viewers.

In 2011, Nine aired Bledisloe Cup matches live on 9Gem across several states, while New South Wales and Queensland received coverage via Nine. The channel simulcast the 2012 London Olympics in HD except during Friday night NRL games. At times when 9Gem was off air, Nine's Newsbreaks were simulcast in HD.

The channel introduced Australian HD broadcasts of the 2013 Ashes series with commentary hosted by Tim Gilbert and Mark Taylor, utilizing Sky Sports’ feed. During Ashes coverage, NRL matches were shown on sister channel 9Go! in selected markets. Additionally, 9Gem covered all fixtures of the 2015 Ashes series along with the 2015 World Club Series.

In 2015, 9Gem aired seventeen Rugby World Cup matches including every Wallabies game and the finals. From 2013 to 2015, it also broadcast Matador BBQs One-Day Cup cricket matches. Late that year, the channel began weekly National Basketball League (NBL) Sunday afternoon games hosted by Bill Baxter.

From February 2017 onwards, 9Gem scheduled a Saturday night double-header featuring Suncorp Super Netball, and it also televised all Australian Diamonds netball international fixtures.

Availability

9Gem is available in both standard and High Definition throughout metropolitan and regional Australia via Nine Network owned-and-operated stations: TCN (Sydney), GTV (Melbourne), QTQ (Brisbane), NWS (Adelaide), STW (Perth), NTD (Darwin), and NBN (Northern New South Wales). The channel can also be accessed through affiliated broadcasters such as WIN Southern NSW/ACT, GTS/BKN Broken Hill NSW, AMN Griffith NSW, VTV Regional VIC, STV Mildura, RTQ Regional QLD, TVT Tasmania, GTS/BKN Spencer Gulf SA, SES/RTS Eastern SA, WOW Regional WA, and Remote Central & Eastern.

Logo and brand evolution

Since its debut on 26 September 2010, 9Gem’s initial emblem featured a translucent purple design inspired by Nine’s branding, yet distinguished itself through a unique color scheme. The channel’s first tagline, Welcome to GEM, echoed Nine’s own Welcome Home. In 2015, the channel underwent a rebranding to "9Gem," unveiling a fresh logo that drew influence from its sister station 9Go! and incorporated Nine’s signature "nine dots." WIN Television employs a customized version that merges their branding with 9Gem’s original logo.

Brand identity timeline

  • 26 September 2010 – 26 November 2015: Welcome to GEM
  • 26 September 2010 – 26 November 2015 (Alternate): Treat Yourself
  • 2011: Your Time, Your Choice, Your GEM
  • 26 November 2015 – present: Characters Belong

External links

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