CDT (TV station)
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | June 30, 2010 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Remote areas across central and eastern Australia |
| Products | Digital television broadcasting |
| Owner | Seven West Media, Imparja Television Pty Ltd |
| Website | www |
CDT is a digital television broadcaster in Australia that caters to remote areas across central and eastern regions. It operates as a joint venture between Seven West Media, which owns Seven Central, and Imparja Television Pty Ltd, the proprietor of Imparja Television. The entity functions under the corporate identity Central Digital Television.
The channel transmits its content through both satellite and terrestrial means, including free-to-air digital transmitters positioned in isolated Australian locations. CDT's operational model resembles other collaborative ventures found in Tasmania, Darwin, and Western Australia. Its official call sign is CDT within the Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV2 licence zones, while it uses IDQ in the Mount Isa TV1 licence region, demonstrating its affiliation with the sister station ITQ.
History
Central Digital Television launched digital satellite broadcasts of Ten Central, One HD, and One SD on 30 June 2010, coinciding with the partial rollout of the Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) platform. On that same day, Southern Cross Central and Imparja Television also introduced their digital satellite channels. This commercial digital debut was timed with the initial analog transmitter shutdown in Mildura, Victoria, providing affected viewers access to VAST as an alternative viewing option.
The official commencement of VAST in the Remote Central and Eastern Australia licence areas took place on 10 December 2010, delivering digital television services via satellite to audiences in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and South Australia. Terrestrial digital broadcasts began on 2 May 2011 in Alice Springs and Mount Isa, followed by further expansions throughout 2012 and 2013.
In July 2025, Southern Cross Austereo finalized the sale of its Seven-affiliated stations along with its shareholding in CDT to Seven West Media.
Programming
While CDT maintains an affiliation with Network 10, it acquires content from various stations. 10 Central North sources programming from TVQ Brisbane, featuring 10 News Queensland at 5pm each evening alongside sports coverage and live events relevant to Brisbane. 10 Central South draws from ATV Melbourne during winter months—airing 10 News First: Victoria at 5pm—and switches to TEN Sydney during summer seasons—broadcasting 10 News New South Wales—with a focus on local sports and events tailored to each region. 10 Drama Central and 10 Comedy Central South alternate between ATV Melbourne (winter) and TEN Sydney (summer), whereas 10 Peach Central North consistently sources from TVQ Brisbane year-round.
Previously, CDT relayed Network 10 programming through primary and multichannel services by simulcasting Melbourne’s ATV feed for 10 Central North and Adelaide’s ADS feed for 10 Central South. Secondary channels featured schedules from Melbourne and Adelaide for 10 Comedy and 10 Drama.
News and current affairs
On weekdays, CDT simulcasts the 10 News broadcast from TVQ-10 Brisbane for northern regions and from TEN-10 Sydney for southern areas; weekend editions are sourced from Sydney’s TEN-10.
Terrestrial
Central Digital Television offers free-to-air digital channels including 10 Central, 10 Comedy, and 10 Drama through terrestrial transmissions within regional towns and cities. The service holds licences for both Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV2 as well as Mount Isa TV1 licence zones, covering communities such as Alice Springs, Bourke, Ceduna, Charleville, Coober Pedy, Cooktown, Katherine, Longreach, Mount Isa, Roma, and Weipa.
Satellite
CDT’s channels are accessible without charge via the VAST satellite platform across all Australian states and territories, excluding Western Australia. The channel 10 Drama is offered as a single nationwide service, whereas 10 Central and 10 Comedy are divided into two distinct regional versions. The 10 Central North and 10 Comedy North feeds cater to audiences in the Northern Territory and Queensland (Northern Australia TV3 licence region) following Australian Eastern Standard Time. Conversely, the 10 Central South and 10 Comedy South channels serve New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and Norfolk Island (South Eastern Australia TV3 licence region) according to Australian Eastern Summer Time.
Both northern and southern variants of the 10 Central channel are transmitted in 1080i high-definition television (HDTV).