CBN (Australian TV station)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Predecessor | Country Broadcasting Services |
| Founded | 17 March 1962 |
| Headquarters | Orange , Australia |
Area served | Orange, Dubbo, central and southern New South Wales |
| Products | Television broadcasting |
CBN is a television broadcaster based in Australia, catering to audiences in the Orange, Dubbo, and central and southern regions of New South Wales.
Founding
CBN-8 Orange commenced transmissions on 17 March 1962 under the license of Country Broadcasting Services, which also owned the local radio outlet 2GZ. The company later adopted the name Country Television Services. Following this, CWN-6 Dubbo began operations on 1 December 1965, also under Country Television Services’ ownership. CWN-6 became the pioneer station to fully relay programming from another station, while maintaining some distinct station identification with content produced at CBN's studios in Orange.
In 1968, both stations connected to the Postmaster-General's microwave network, enabling them to broadcast live national news and major events. Financial difficulties during the early 1970s prompted a collaborative programming agreement with MTN-9 Griffith, resulting in the creation of the Television 6-8-9 network, which was later rebranded as Mid State Television.
The station earned a Logie Award in 1979 for 'Outstanding Contribution by a Regional Station' with its 1978 documentary on the National Rodeo Titles titled Goin' Down The Road. Throughout the 1980s, its local content slate included programs such as Focus, Rural Roundup, Early Shift, Weekend Report, along with coverage of various special events.
Sporting events, particularly tennis and rugby, were prominently featured during this era. Starting in 1979, CBN sponsored and broadcasted the United Permanent Tennis Tournament, noted as the only event of its kind in Australia.
Prior to regional television aggregation, health care entrepreneur Paul Ramsay’s Ramcorp Ltd acquired CBN and CWN in 1987. Subsequently, these stations merged with RVN/AMV to establish Prime Television in May 1988. This merger led to a reduction in locally produced content and staffing levels, shifting programming schedules toward affiliation with the Seven. New facilities in Wollongong and Canberra supported this expansion of coverage.
Aggregation
The 1989 aggregation process in southern New South Wales consolidated CBN and CWN into a single entity branded as Prime Television. The station broadened its reach within the newly defined license area, competing against WIN Television and 10 Capital. Technical complications delayed the launch of two new stations in Orange until later that year.
By 1991, licenses for Wagga Wagga and Orange were merged into one, with RVN adopting the CBN call letters.
Seven News
CBN produces two separate 30-minute editions of Seven News tailored for Central West (Orange/Dubbo) and Wagga Wagga audiences, airing on weeknights at 6 pm. These bulletins are co-anchored by Madelaine Collignon and Nick Hose, with weather forecasts delivered by Kirstie Fitzpatrick. Since April 2015, both editions have been pre-recorded.
For Wollongong and Canberra viewers, brief two-minute news updates are presented by Pip Waller alongside weather reports from Daniel Gibson.
Historically, these markets received Sydney’s version of Seven News at 6 pm alongside local bulletins. In August 2010, production for Orange and Wagga Wagga bulletins shifted to Seven’s Canberra studios. Initially alternating between live and pre-recorded formats, this changed in April 2015 when additional bulletins for North West and North Coast regions were introduced following the closure of the Tamworth studio. At that time, a refurbished news studio was unveiled. Centralisation efforts led to a transition from alternating live/pre-recorded broadcasts to exclusively live presentations for North West and North Coast bulletins.
CBN functions as the central production hub for the statewide 7News at 6:30 bulletin launched in 2014. Broadcast from Canberra and anchored by Daniel Gibson, this bulletin incorporates national and international news segments sourced from metropolitan newsrooms. It serves areas covered by CBN as well as its Northern NSW counterpart NEN, both receiving comprehensive local Seven News services.
Main Transmitters
| Area Covered | City | Channels (Analog/ Digital) |
Launch Date | ERP (Analog/ Digital) |
HAAT (Analog/ Digital) |
Coordinates of Transmitter | Transmitter Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra | Canberra | 34 (UHF)[note 1] 12 (VHF) |
31 March 1989 | 600 kW 50 kW |
362 m 345 m |
Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Black Mountain |
| Central Tablelands | Orange | 8 (VHF)[note 2] 37 (UHF) |
17 March 1962 | 200 kW 570 kW |
620 m 628 m |
Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Mount Canobolas |
| Central Western Slopes[note 3] | Dubbo | 6 (VHF)[note 2] 41 (UHF) |
1 December 1965 | 400 kW | 638 m | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Mount Cenn Cruaich |
| Illawarra & Wollongong | Wollongong | 65 (UHF)[note 2] 38 (UHF) |
31 March 1989 | 950 kW 250 kW |
619 m 600 m |
Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. (analog) Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. (digital) |
Knights Hill, New South Wales |
| South Western Slopes and Eastern Riverina[note 4] | Wagga Wagga | 2 (VHF)[note 2] 47 (UHF) |
19 June 1964 | 200 kW 600 kW |
528 m 540 m |
Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Mount Ulandra |
External links
- Logos and clips of CBN and CWN at AusTVHistory.com
- CBN8 entry at the Australian Television Archive
- CWN6 entry at the Australian Television Archive
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