Digital Forty Four
| Company type | Trial datacasting service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | March 17, 2004 |
| Defunct | April 30, 2010 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Sydney, Australia |
| Products | Datacasting television channels (text-based and narrowcast) |
Digital Forty Four operated as a Sydney-exclusive trial datacasting service, authorized by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (currently known as the Australian Communications and Media Authority) starting 17 March 2004. Initially granted for a two-year period ending 31 December 2006, the license underwent several extensions. However, on 29 January 2010, Broadcast Australia's datacasting license for Digital Forty Four was not renewed beyond 30 April 2010, leading to the termination of all transmissions at midnight on that date.
Over its six-year operation, Digital Forty Four provided various services such as a free-to-air television guide, a community information channel delivering live updates every fifteen minutes on traffic, weather, and surf conditions, the Australian Christian Channel, Expo shopping channel, National Indigenous Television (NITV), Teachers TV informational channel, and live coverage of Australian Parliament sessions including both the House of Representatives and Senate.
Channels
The datacasting license restricted Digital Forty Four’s channels to text-based or narrowcast formats; entertainment content was not permitted. Nonetheless, certain programming from the Australian Christian Channel was broadcast in a reduced screen size with accompanying text to adhere to datacasting regulations.
| DVB name | LCN | Launch date | Discontinued date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel 4 | 4 | 2008 | 30 Apr 2010 | Provided a video program guide covering free-to-air and D44 channels. |
| NITV | 40 | 27 Oct 2008 | 30 Apr 2010 | Added as a subscription channel on D44; continues on satellite and cable platforms. Available free-to-air on LCN 34 via SBS since December 2012. |
| ABC News, Sport and Weather | 41 | 17 Mar 2004 | 30 Apr 2010 | Offered a text-only information service. |
| D44 Homepage | 42 | 17 Mar 2004 | 30 Apr 2010 | Broadcast initially on LCN 44 before the addition of TVS in March 2010; simulcast on LCN 40 prior to NITV’s launch in October 2008. |
| Television Sydney | 44 | Mar 2010 | 30 Apr 2010 | Integrated digital community television channel within D44. |
| Teachers TV | 45 | 3 Nov 2008 | 30 Apr 2010 | Originally aired on LCN 47 (shared with House of Representatives) until June 2009. |
| Australian Christian Channel | 46 | 2004 | 30 Apr 2010 | Subscription channel incorporated into D44; continues broadcasting on satellite and cable. |
| Federal Parliament House of Representatives | 47 | 17 Mar 2004 | 30 Apr 2010 | Live video and audio transmission of Australian House of Representatives sessions. Shared LCN 47 with Teachers TV from 2008 to 2009 when the House was not sitting. |
| Federal Parliament Senate | 48 | 17 Mar 2004 | 30 Apr 2010 | Live video and audio coverage of Australian Senate proceedings. |
| Expo | 49 | 2006 | 30 Apr 2010 | Shopping channel added to D44; remains available on Foxtel subscription television. |
Former Channels
A number of channels launched during the service’s tenure did not continue until its closure.
| DVB name | LCN | Launch date | Discontinued date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel NSW | 45 | 17 Mar 2004 | 1 Jul 2009 | Community-focused channel delivering live traffic updates, coastal monitoring, and government announcements; owned by the Government of New South Wales. Replaced by Teachers TV. |
| Macquarie Digital | 47 | 12 Oct 2004 | 11 Jun 2007 | Financial news service operated by Macquarie Group. |
| SportsTAB | 48 | 17 Mar 2004 | 1 Jan 2005 | Broadcasted sports betting odds. |
| House of Representatives Main Committee |
403 | 17 Mar 2004 | 3 Nov 2008 | get live video/audio feeds from Australian House of Representatives Main Committee sessions. |
| DVB name | LCN | Launch date | Discontinued date | Notes |
|---|
| House of Representatives Committee Room 1 | 404 | 17 Mar 2004 | 3 Nov 2008 | Live video/audio feed for House of Representatives Room 1 sessions. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives Committee Room 2 | 405 | 17 Mar 2004 | 3 Nov 2008 | Live video/audio feed for House of Representatives Room 2 sessions. |
| House of Representatives Committee Room 3 | 406 | 17 Mar 2004 | 3 Nov 2008 | Live video/audio feed for House of Representatives Room 3 sessions. |
| House of Representatives Committee Room 4 | 407 | 17 Mar 2004 | 3 Nov 2008 | Live video/audio feed for House of Representatives Room 4 sessions. |
Legacy
The ACMA determined that the likelihood of datacast service auctions occurring in the near future was minimal, making the continuation of the trial unnecessary. NITV, which had gained from being broadcast on this platform, regarded the shutdown as a significant obstacle to obtaining permanent spectrum allocation, raising concerns about its sustainability over time.
The majority of other Digital Forty Four channels continue to be available without encryption through satellite transmission or online streaming.
See also
References
- Articles with short description
- Television stations in Sydney
- Digital terrestrial television in Australia
- Defunct television channels in Australia
- English-language television stations in Australia
- Television channels and stations established in 2004
- Television channels and stations disestablished in 2010
- 2004 establishments in Australia
- 2010 disestablishments in Australia
- Digital Forty Four