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MDV (TV station)

MDV was a television station in Mildura, Victoria, Australia. It was a joint venture between Seven West Media and WIN Corporation., it was a digital-only Network 10 affiliate for most of its history. It began broadcasting on 1 January 2006 and ceased transmission on 30 June 2024.

History

MDV began broadcasting on 1 January 2006 as Ten Mildura, jointly owned by the incumbent broadcasters WIN Corporation and Prime Television.[2] In January 2009, Macquarie Media Group tried to exchange a 50% stake in Mildura Digital Television from Prime Television, with its 50% stake in Darwin Digital Television, after losing a court challenge in late 2008 and advising the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission.[3] However, Macquarie won its court appeal about selling Darwin Digital Television in exchange for MDV, on 12 January 2009.[4]

On 1 July 2016, due to WIN Television becoming the Network 10 affiliate in the region, MDV switched its affiliation to the Nine Network[5] and rebranded as Nine Mildura.

On 1 July 2021, due to WIN Television re-acquiring the Nine Network affiliate in the region, MDV switched back its affiliation to Network 10.[6] On 31 December 2021, one of the joint-venture partners of MDV, Prime Media Group, was acquired by Seven West Media.[7]

Closure

On 8 May 2024, it was announced that MDV would cease broadcasting on 30 June 2024 due to continued financial losses.[8][9] WIN claimed in a FAQ posted to their website about the closure that the station had been unprofitable since it began, and that no job losses would result from the closure.[10]

In early June, MDV began to air a commercial advising viewers of the closure, directing them to the same FAQ website.[10][11]

On 30 June 2024, Mildura Digital Television went to air for the final time, ceasing operations just past midnight during a re-run of the day's broadcast of The Project, thus ending operations of MDT after 18 years.[12] Following the final broadcast, the MDT license was handed back to the Australian Communications & Media Authority. The Network 10 affiliate was handed over to MDN. In some parts of Victoria, it was replaced by 10 Melbourne (via 10) and GLV/BCV.

Programming

Mildura Digital Television broadcast its programming from Channel 10.

Availability

The station was a Network 10 affiliate for most of its history, and was jointly owned by Seven West Media and WIN Television. MDV was available on LCN 5 in the Mildura and Sunraysia area in standard-definition.

10's multichannels 10 HD (which is 10's main channel in high definition), as well as 10 Bold Drama and 10 Peach Comedy were available on LCN 50, LCN 51 and LCN 52 respectively. Before the 2021 affiliation swapback, Nine's multichannels 9Gem (in high definition) and 9Go! were available on LCN 50 and LCN 55 respectively.[13] Before MDV's affiliation change on 1 July 2016, Ten's multichannels One and Eleven were available on LCN 50 (from 1 December 2009 for One)[14] and LCN 55 (from 11 January 2011 for Eleven in Mildura)[15] respectively.

WIN was responsible for handling playout and then transmitting this signal via satellite to transmission facilities in Mildura. WIN also handled the business administration and used to handle the national advertising sales for MDV, until 1 July 2022 when Southern Cross Austereo took over national sales. Local sales remained unchanged, with WIN's sale team continuing to support local businesses in Mildura.[16]

The Mildura/Sunraysia region changed frequencies as part of a nationwide retune process on 26 August 2014, and the station moved from UHF 33 to VHF 10 as a result of the retune.[17]

See also

References

  1. HAAT estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.^
  2. TEN Digital commences in Mildura Digital Broadcasting Australia, 1 January 2006, retrieved 8 May 2024^
  3. Miriam Steffens. Broadcasters to swap TV stakes Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media, 7 January 2009, retrieved 22 May 2024^
  4. Miriam Steffens. Court victory for Mac Media Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media, 13 January 2009, retrieved 22 May 2024^
  5. Jake Mitchell. Nine reaches affiliate deal to run signal into regional Victoria The Australian, News Corp Australia, 28 June 2016, retrieved 28 June 2016^
  6. Nine changes regional TV partners and signs deal with WIN Mediaweek, 12 March 2021, retrieved 8 May 2024^
  7. Sarah Danckert. Seven completes Prime deal as executives exit Sydney Morning Herald, Nine Entertainment, 2 January 2022, retrieved 22 May 2024^
  8. David Burrows. Mildura Digital Television Pty Ltd to shut down River 1467, ARN Media, 8 May 2024, retrieved 8 May 2024^
  9. Neil Griffiths. Network 10 calls on PM to urgently intervene as Mildura Digital TV set to shut down Mumbrella, 9 May 2024, retrieved 22 May 2024^
  10. Mildura 10 Closure WIN Television, retrieved 30 June 2024^
  11. David Knox. Mildura Digital Television to hand back licence to ACMA TV Tonight, 4 June 2024, retrieved 30 June 2024^
  12. Final Moments Of Mildura Digital Television - 30/6/24 YouTube, 30 June 2024, retrieved 19 December 2024^
  13. New channels from 1 July 2016 Nine On 5, Southern Cross Austereo, retrieved 22 May 2024^
  14. David Knox. Mildura adds ONE HD TV Tonight, 17 November 2009, retrieved 12 May 2024^
  15. David Knox. ELEVEN is on the air TV Tonight, 11 January 2011, retrieved 12 May 2024^
  16. SCA announce sales representation in regional Western Australia and Mildura Mediaweek, 5 May 2022, retrieved 8 May 2024^
  17. Channel change timetable Department of Communications, 4 November 2014, retrieved 22 May 2024^