TDT (TV station)
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Tasmania , Australia |
Area served | Tasmania, Australia |
Key people | Madeline Kerr (news anchor) |
| Products | Digital television broadcasting |
| Owner | WIN Corporation and Seven West Media |
TDT is a digital TV broadcaster in Tasmania, Australia, co-owned by WIN Corporation—which operates Nine Tasmania—and Seven West Media, the proprietor of Seven Tasmania. The channel functions under the name Tasmanian Digital Television.
History
Unlike Australia's major metropolitan areas that host three commercial networks, less densely populated regions such as Tasmania traditionally had fewer broadcasters due to restricted advertising markets. In 2002, WIN Television (affiliated with Nine) partnered with Southern Cross Broadcasting (affiliated with Seven) to apply under the Broadcasting Services Act (1992) for permission to launch a third commercial broadcaster in Tasmania. Their bid was successful, leading to TDT’s commencement on 22 December 2003 on LCN 5. Initially available only in Hobart, the service extended coverage to north-eastern Tasmania by August 2004, reached Devonport in 2006, and gradually rolled out statewide ahead of the 2013 digital transition.
TDT holds the distinction of being Australia’s inaugural digital-only commercial channel, pioneering digital broadcasting initiatives across the country. Southern Cross Broadcasting handles playout operations from Canberra and delivers content via satellite to WIN’s facilities in Tasmania, while WIN manages the station’s business functions and advertising sales.
In May 2016, WIN declared that from 1 July 2016 its stations—including TVT in Tasmania—would affiliate with Network Ten. This change necessitated TDT securing a fresh agreement with Nine Network to continue airing its programming. Following negotiations concluding on 30 June 2016, TDT became a Nine affiliate, retransmitting the Nine Melbourne feed accompanied by local advertising from 2016 until 2021. After an affiliation swap in 2021, TDT reverted to broadcasting the Ten Melbourne feed alongside local ads.
Southern Cross Austereo finalized the sale of its Seven-affiliated stations and ownership stake in TDT to Seven West Media in July 2025.
Programming
Speculation regarding TDT’s programming led to two potential scenarios: either Southern Cross would drop one of its affiliations with Seven or Ten, allowing TDT to take it up; or TDT would become a dual affiliate for both Seven and Ten, airing programs not carried by Southern Cross.
Southern Cross opted to retain its dominant programming lineup, resulting in TDT’s Ten affiliation agreement granting Southern Cross 'first pick' of Ten content. When both broadcasters sought rights to the same program, Southern Cross was required to air it simultaneously; otherwise, TDT generally broadcast an alternative title. Shows such as Thank God You're Here, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Wedge illustrate this arrangement. An exception was Huey's Cooking Adventures, which aired at different times on both channels.
From its inception in late 2003 through early 2004, TDT relayed a direct feed from Melbourne’s ATV-10. As TDT expanded Ten programming statewide, Southern Cross progressively ceased airing various Ten shows: Rove Live and Totally Wild in 2004; Big Brother in 2006; The Bold and the Beautiful in 2007; followed by Huey's Cooking Adventures, Australian Idol, and Thank God You're Here in 2008 (which returned in 2009 after moving to Seven); and finally Neighbours and The Simpsons in 2009. Subsequently, Southern Cross limited its Ten content primarily to AFL coverage.
During AFL seasons, TDT simulcasted Ten News Melbourne on Saturdays at 6:00 pm to complement Ten’s Saturday AFL broadcasts, as well as airing Ten’s national Sunday news bulletin.
On 1 July 2016, TDT transitioned to rebroadcasting Nine Melbourne's GTV-9 feed with localized advertising. This affiliation switched back on 1 July 2021 when TDT resumed transmission of the ATV-10 feed.
News
Starting in 2012, TDT began featuring concise local news segments produced by Southern Cross Austereo from their Canberra studios. In October 2018, production shifted to the Southern Cross newsroom located in Hobart, adopting a format akin to the local bulletins produced for Southern Cross' mainland Nine affiliates. Currently, Madeline Kerr anchors the Tasmania news updates.
As an affiliate of Network 10, TDT broadcasts the one-and-a-half-hour-long 10 News Melbourne from ATV-10 simultaneously, with Jennifer Keyte presenting on weekdays, along with national bulletins during weekends.
Previously affiliated with Nine, TDT simulcast the hour-long Nine News Melbourne from GTV-9, anchored by Peter Hitchener on weekdays and supplemented by weekend bulletins.
Availability
TDT transmits in digital standard definition as well as 1080p high definition (10 HD). The channel is accessible throughout most of Tasmania as a Network 10 affiliate, offering 10's primary and secondary channels (including 10 Comedy, 10 Drama, and Nickelodeon), complete with their respective branding and programming schedules.
Main transmitters
| Region served | City | Channels | First air date | ERP | HAAT1 | Transmitter Coordinates | Transmitter Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Tasmania | Hobart | 11 (VHF) | 22 December 2003 | 50 kW | 1004 m | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Mount Wellington |
| Northern Tasmania | Launceston | 43 (UHF) | August 2004 | 600 kW | 839 m | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Mount Barrow |
Notes:
- 1. HAAT values are approximated using data from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ via EHAAT calculations.
See also
- Darwin Digital Television
- Mildura Digital Television
- Network 10
- Television broadcasting in Australia