Post by robertboon on Jan 10, 2020 23:36:02 GMT
By the mid 1960s television coverage extended to about 96% of the Australian population, but remote settlements, and in particular mining settlements, were faced with the problem that there was little likelihood of them being connected to the national network in the near future. The mining companies attempts to bring television, via the use of videotapes of broadcast material, to the settlements attached to their mines, can be traced in the annual reports of the Australian Broadcasting Board of Control:
20th Report, year ending 30th June 1968
60. There have been a number of inquiries and some proposals from companies involved in mining and construction activities in certain remote localities regarding the provision of television service to those places. The Board is engaged in discussion with the Mining Industries Council and other interested bodies on methods which might possibly be adopted.
61. Proposals have also been received for the establishment and operation of television translator stations in certain localities by companies having interests in the centres concerned, relaying the programmes of national or commercial stations. There are several present cases of television translator stations being operated by companies other than commercial television licensee companies. These proposals are under examination in connection with the Board's studies of the possible means of further extension of television generally.
21st Report, year ending 30th June 1969
51. Paragraph 60 of the Board's Twentieth Annual Report (1967 -68) referred to proposals regarding the provision of television services from companies involved in mining activities in certain remote localities and indicated that the Board had been engaged in discussions with the Mining Industry Council on methods which might possibly be adopted. Following these discussions, the Council developed its ideas into a definite plan envisaging the establishment and operation of television stations in a number of remote localities on the basis that programmes will be provided by the Australian Broadcasting Commission; the programmes would be prepared on magnetic tape at a recording studio established specially for the purpose and forwarded to the stations for replaying. This proposal subsequently formed the subject of a report to the Minister by the Board.
52. Certain amendments to the Broadcasting and Television Act were necessary to facilitate the establishment of the type of service referred to and the Government after consideration of the Board's report upon its discussions with the Mining Industry Council decided to take the necessary action in this respect. The amendments to the Act were effected in the Broadcasting and Television Act (No. 2) 1969. ...
53. No details of proposals for stations of the type referred to in the preceding paragraph can be given until precise proposals are put forward by member companies of the Mining Industry Council. The Council has invited tenders for the supply of equipment for the stations.
22nd Report, year ending 30th June 1970
62. The Board's Twenty-first Annual Report (paragraphs 51 to 53) referred to plans of the Mining Industry Council for the establishment and operation by mining companies of television stations in a number of remote localities on the basis that programmes will be provided on magnetic tape by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. It was indicated that the Broadcasting and Television Act had been amended to provide for the grant of licences for such stations which will be known as "television repeater stations", and for the Australian Broadcasting Commission to make programmes available on tape to the stations.
63. A great deal of consultation between the Board, the Council, individual mining companies and the Australian Broadcasting Commission took place during the year to resolve in detail the equipment and mode of operation of this special type of television station. The stations are an interesting innovation in the Australian television system which has since 1956 been confined to national and commercial services.
64. The Postmaster-General announced the grant of licences to five mining companies for eight repeater stations on 30 April 1970. Details of the proposed stations are given in paragraph 362.
65. It is expected that these stations will commence operations progressively during the latter months of 1970. National television stations to be established in
38 areas in the seventh stage of television development and the television repeater stations to be established in eight mining centres represent a very significant extension of television to remote areas.
362. On 7 May 1970 the Postmaster-General on the recommendation of the Board approved the grant of licences for television repeater stations as under; also included are technical conditions determined by the Board.
Call Sign and Location/Licensee/Channel/Polarisation
Queensland
WEQR Weipa/Commonwealth Aluminium Corporation Ltd./7/Horizontal
Western Australia
CKWR Koolan Island, Yampi Sound/Dampier Mining Company Ltd./7/Horizontal
CKWR Cockatoo Island, Yampi Sound/Dampier Mining Company Ltd./Input 7 (from Koolan Island) Output 9/Horizontal [ie signal relayed from Koolan Island]
HDWR Dampier/Hamersley Iron Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
HDWR Karratha/Hamersley Iron Pty. Ltd./Input 7 (from Dampier) Output 9/Horizontal [ie signal relayed from Dampier]
HTWR Mount Tom Price/Hamersley Iron Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
NEWR Newman/Mt. Newman Mining Co. Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
Northern Territory
GEMR Groote Eylandt/Groote Eylandt Mining Co. Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
363. When the national television station to serve the Dampier area is established, the licences for the repeater stations at Dampier and Karratha will be withdrawn.
364. The stations will be established in all cases on a convenient elevation adjacent to the town. Subject to a number of factors, including availability of equipment, it is hoped that the first of the stations will be in operation later this year. Present plans contemplate the provision of programmes supplied by the Australian Broadcasting Commission for 33 hours weekly consisting of five hours daily Monday to Saturday and three hours each week of daytime sessions suitable for housewives and children.
23rd Report. year ending 30th June 1971
71. This year saw the commencement of eight television repeater stations operated by mining companies in remote mining centres. The inauguration of these services followed discussions between the Board and the Mining Industry Council as to the best method of providing television service to such places. The stations televise only programmes prepared on magnetic tape, which are provided by the A.B.C. free of charge though the stations are responsible for the freight costs involved. The Broadcasting and Television Act was amended in 1969 to permit the authorisation of such services and the Commission to make programmes available to the services. The stations operate in communities to which it is unlikely that television would ever be provided by normal type commercial stations and where, because of the costs involved, national stations would be difficult to justify.
72. The evidence is that despite the existence of some technical and other difficulties, repeater stations have proved a very successful service. The principal reason for the mining companies establishing the stations was to enhance the amenities available to employees with a view to reducing labour turnover. It is understood that the stations have made a worthwhile contribution in this regard. As stated in the Board's last annual report, the stations are an interesting innovation in the Australian television system which has, since 1956, been confined to national and commercial services.
391. The eight stations commenced operations during the year on the dates shown in the table in Paragraph 397.
392. The programmes for the stations are provided by the Australian Broadcasting Commission being programmes first televised for the national service and recorded on magnetic tape at Townsville for WEQR, Adelaide for GEMR and Perth for CKWR, HDWR, HTWR and NEWR. The recordings are air freighted to the mining centres and programmes are televised one or two. weeks after the original tramsinission on the national service.
393. Transmissions by the stations during the year were on a six days-a-week basis averaging approximately 26 hours weekly for each station. Programmes were transmitted for the most part between 4.30 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. and between 7.30 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. Family and children's programmes are televised in the late afternoon and are followed by a transmission break until the evening programmes commence.
394. In addition to recorded national television programmes, stations WEQR and NEWR, by arrangement with the Australian Broadcasting Cominission, record off-air and retransmit the news bulletins and stock-exchange reports broadcast on the national high frequency broadcasting stations. This arrangement is subject to the condition that the material must be used within 30 minutes of its transmission.
397
Television Repeater Stations
Television repeater stations (low power stations) transmitting only programmes recorded on magnetic tape are established at the following locations:
Area Date of Commencement of Operations
WEQR Weipa (Queensland) 9 November 1970
NEWR Newman (Western Australia) 30 November 1970
HTWR Mount Tom Price (Western Australia) 2 December 1970
HDWR Dampier (Western Australia) 9 December 1970
HDWR Karratha (Western Australia) 9 December 1970
GEMR Groote Eylandt (Northern Territory) 16 December 1970
CKWR Koolan Island (Western Australia) 10 March 1971
CKWR Cockatoo Island (Western Australia) 10 March 1971
24th Report, year ending 30th June 1972
65. Television repeater stations commenced operation during the year at Mount Nameless and Paraburdoo, Western Australia. Details regarding the inauguration of the repeater stations which are operated by mining companies in remote mining centres were published in the Board's Twenty-Third Annual Report. Ten repeater stations are now in operation.
As to what was on the videotapes the earliest programme listing for one of the stations I've managed to find appeared in the Hamersley News of 26 October 1972. Amongst BBC programmes listed are Softly Softly Task Force, The Likely Lads, and The World of Beachcomber, all of which have missing episodes. Similarly the programme listing from the Hamersley News of 7 December 1972 included The Troubleshooters, The Likely Lads, The World of Beachcomber, Whacko, and The Gnomes of Dulwich. By the programme listing in the Hamersley News of 26 July 1973 even Doctor Who is listed!
Now until very recently I assumed that due to the then high cost of videotape the tapes were sent back for re-use from whichever station was at the end of each bicycling chain but a calculation I have carried out has produced a very interesting result.
From the 1971 ABBC report:
393. Transmissions by the stations during the year were on a six days-a-week basis averaging approximately 26 hours weekly for each station. Programmes were transmitted for the most part between 4.30 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. and between 7.30 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. Family and children's programmes are televised in the late afternoon .:ind are followed by a transmission break until the evening programmes commence.
Now a 3M advert from 1970 shows the longest available AMPEX 2" tape available to be 260 minutes so 6 tapes turns out to have 26 hours duration. So clearly one tape per day was used for recording.
Now a carton containing 2 reels costs $185.01 US so 3 cartons would be needed for a week's recording
Weekly tape cost of one set of recordings = 3 x 185.01 = $555.03 US
Therefore the tape cost for one set of recordings for a year = 365/7 x 555.03 = $28,940.85 US
Assuming each recording centre only produced one set of tapes each week
Total yearly tape cost = 3 x 28,940.85 = $86,822.55 US
Now it is the era of fixed exchanged rates so $1 AUS = $1.12 US
So total yearly tape cost in AUS $ = 86,822.55/1.12 = $77,520.14 AUS
Now it seems reasonable to assume that ABC would have been able to absorb any labour costs amongst their existing staff and with the mining companies responsible for all shipping costs the scheme would cost ABC about $80,000 AUS per year with no re-use of the tapes.
Now in the Hamersly News of 1 July 1969 in an article before the scheme came into effect:
The A.B.C. is to set up a central recording centre for the provision of programmes: the capital cost of this taping unit is likely to be $240,000 and running costs about $80,000 per year. The A.B.C. is said not to be charging for the programmes and it would appear that a major part of the expense would be recoverable from normal viewer licence fees.
Now obviously the scheme changed in that they had three taping centres at Perth, Adelaide and Townsville, rather than one centralised taping centre, but if the cost of the scheme remained unaltered it is remarkable that the projected running costs of $80,000 per year is virtually identical to the cost of the videotapes for a year with no re-use. If there was re-use of the videotapes it is difficult to see how they managed to rack up running costs of $80,000 per year. It does appear to raise the possibility with no re-use of there being long forgotten storerooms full of videotapes, waiting to be found.
20th Report, year ending 30th June 1968
60. There have been a number of inquiries and some proposals from companies involved in mining and construction activities in certain remote localities regarding the provision of television service to those places. The Board is engaged in discussion with the Mining Industries Council and other interested bodies on methods which might possibly be adopted.
61. Proposals have also been received for the establishment and operation of television translator stations in certain localities by companies having interests in the centres concerned, relaying the programmes of national or commercial stations. There are several present cases of television translator stations being operated by companies other than commercial television licensee companies. These proposals are under examination in connection with the Board's studies of the possible means of further extension of television generally.
21st Report, year ending 30th June 1969
51. Paragraph 60 of the Board's Twentieth Annual Report (1967 -68) referred to proposals regarding the provision of television services from companies involved in mining activities in certain remote localities and indicated that the Board had been engaged in discussions with the Mining Industry Council on methods which might possibly be adopted. Following these discussions, the Council developed its ideas into a definite plan envisaging the establishment and operation of television stations in a number of remote localities on the basis that programmes will be provided by the Australian Broadcasting Commission; the programmes would be prepared on magnetic tape at a recording studio established specially for the purpose and forwarded to the stations for replaying. This proposal subsequently formed the subject of a report to the Minister by the Board.
52. Certain amendments to the Broadcasting and Television Act were necessary to facilitate the establishment of the type of service referred to and the Government after consideration of the Board's report upon its discussions with the Mining Industry Council decided to take the necessary action in this respect. The amendments to the Act were effected in the Broadcasting and Television Act (No. 2) 1969. ...
53. No details of proposals for stations of the type referred to in the preceding paragraph can be given until precise proposals are put forward by member companies of the Mining Industry Council. The Council has invited tenders for the supply of equipment for the stations.
22nd Report, year ending 30th June 1970
62. The Board's Twenty-first Annual Report (paragraphs 51 to 53) referred to plans of the Mining Industry Council for the establishment and operation by mining companies of television stations in a number of remote localities on the basis that programmes will be provided on magnetic tape by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. It was indicated that the Broadcasting and Television Act had been amended to provide for the grant of licences for such stations which will be known as "television repeater stations", and for the Australian Broadcasting Commission to make programmes available on tape to the stations.
63. A great deal of consultation between the Board, the Council, individual mining companies and the Australian Broadcasting Commission took place during the year to resolve in detail the equipment and mode of operation of this special type of television station. The stations are an interesting innovation in the Australian television system which has since 1956 been confined to national and commercial services.
64. The Postmaster-General announced the grant of licences to five mining companies for eight repeater stations on 30 April 1970. Details of the proposed stations are given in paragraph 362.
65. It is expected that these stations will commence operations progressively during the latter months of 1970. National television stations to be established in
38 areas in the seventh stage of television development and the television repeater stations to be established in eight mining centres represent a very significant extension of television to remote areas.
362. On 7 May 1970 the Postmaster-General on the recommendation of the Board approved the grant of licences for television repeater stations as under; also included are technical conditions determined by the Board.
Call Sign and Location/Licensee/Channel/Polarisation
Queensland
WEQR Weipa/Commonwealth Aluminium Corporation Ltd./7/Horizontal
Western Australia
CKWR Koolan Island, Yampi Sound/Dampier Mining Company Ltd./7/Horizontal
CKWR Cockatoo Island, Yampi Sound/Dampier Mining Company Ltd./Input 7 (from Koolan Island) Output 9/Horizontal [ie signal relayed from Koolan Island]
HDWR Dampier/Hamersley Iron Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
HDWR Karratha/Hamersley Iron Pty. Ltd./Input 7 (from Dampier) Output 9/Horizontal [ie signal relayed from Dampier]
HTWR Mount Tom Price/Hamersley Iron Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
NEWR Newman/Mt. Newman Mining Co. Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
Northern Territory
GEMR Groote Eylandt/Groote Eylandt Mining Co. Pty. Ltd./7/Horizontal
363. When the national television station to serve the Dampier area is established, the licences for the repeater stations at Dampier and Karratha will be withdrawn.
364. The stations will be established in all cases on a convenient elevation adjacent to the town. Subject to a number of factors, including availability of equipment, it is hoped that the first of the stations will be in operation later this year. Present plans contemplate the provision of programmes supplied by the Australian Broadcasting Commission for 33 hours weekly consisting of five hours daily Monday to Saturday and three hours each week of daytime sessions suitable for housewives and children.
23rd Report. year ending 30th June 1971
71. This year saw the commencement of eight television repeater stations operated by mining companies in remote mining centres. The inauguration of these services followed discussions between the Board and the Mining Industry Council as to the best method of providing television service to such places. The stations televise only programmes prepared on magnetic tape, which are provided by the A.B.C. free of charge though the stations are responsible for the freight costs involved. The Broadcasting and Television Act was amended in 1969 to permit the authorisation of such services and the Commission to make programmes available to the services. The stations operate in communities to which it is unlikely that television would ever be provided by normal type commercial stations and where, because of the costs involved, national stations would be difficult to justify.
72. The evidence is that despite the existence of some technical and other difficulties, repeater stations have proved a very successful service. The principal reason for the mining companies establishing the stations was to enhance the amenities available to employees with a view to reducing labour turnover. It is understood that the stations have made a worthwhile contribution in this regard. As stated in the Board's last annual report, the stations are an interesting innovation in the Australian television system which has, since 1956, been confined to national and commercial services.
391. The eight stations commenced operations during the year on the dates shown in the table in Paragraph 397.
392. The programmes for the stations are provided by the Australian Broadcasting Commission being programmes first televised for the national service and recorded on magnetic tape at Townsville for WEQR, Adelaide for GEMR and Perth for CKWR, HDWR, HTWR and NEWR. The recordings are air freighted to the mining centres and programmes are televised one or two. weeks after the original tramsinission on the national service.
393. Transmissions by the stations during the year were on a six days-a-week basis averaging approximately 26 hours weekly for each station. Programmes were transmitted for the most part between 4.30 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. and between 7.30 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. Family and children's programmes are televised in the late afternoon and are followed by a transmission break until the evening programmes commence.
394. In addition to recorded national television programmes, stations WEQR and NEWR, by arrangement with the Australian Broadcasting Cominission, record off-air and retransmit the news bulletins and stock-exchange reports broadcast on the national high frequency broadcasting stations. This arrangement is subject to the condition that the material must be used within 30 minutes of its transmission.
397
Television Repeater Stations
Television repeater stations (low power stations) transmitting only programmes recorded on magnetic tape are established at the following locations:
Area Date of Commencement of Operations
WEQR Weipa (Queensland) 9 November 1970
NEWR Newman (Western Australia) 30 November 1970
HTWR Mount Tom Price (Western Australia) 2 December 1970
HDWR Dampier (Western Australia) 9 December 1970
HDWR Karratha (Western Australia) 9 December 1970
GEMR Groote Eylandt (Northern Territory) 16 December 1970
CKWR Koolan Island (Western Australia) 10 March 1971
CKWR Cockatoo Island (Western Australia) 10 March 1971
24th Report, year ending 30th June 1972
65. Television repeater stations commenced operation during the year at Mount Nameless and Paraburdoo, Western Australia. Details regarding the inauguration of the repeater stations which are operated by mining companies in remote mining centres were published in the Board's Twenty-Third Annual Report. Ten repeater stations are now in operation.
As to what was on the videotapes the earliest programme listing for one of the stations I've managed to find appeared in the Hamersley News of 26 October 1972. Amongst BBC programmes listed are Softly Softly Task Force, The Likely Lads, and The World of Beachcomber, all of which have missing episodes. Similarly the programme listing from the Hamersley News of 7 December 1972 included The Troubleshooters, The Likely Lads, The World of Beachcomber, Whacko, and The Gnomes of Dulwich. By the programme listing in the Hamersley News of 26 July 1973 even Doctor Who is listed!
Now until very recently I assumed that due to the then high cost of videotape the tapes were sent back for re-use from whichever station was at the end of each bicycling chain but a calculation I have carried out has produced a very interesting result.
From the 1971 ABBC report:
393. Transmissions by the stations during the year were on a six days-a-week basis averaging approximately 26 hours weekly for each station. Programmes were transmitted for the most part between 4.30 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. and between 7.30 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. Family and children's programmes are televised in the late afternoon .:ind are followed by a transmission break until the evening programmes commence.
Now a 3M advert from 1970 shows the longest available AMPEX 2" tape available to be 260 minutes so 6 tapes turns out to have 26 hours duration. So clearly one tape per day was used for recording.
Now a carton containing 2 reels costs $185.01 US so 3 cartons would be needed for a week's recording
Weekly tape cost of one set of recordings = 3 x 185.01 = $555.03 US
Therefore the tape cost for one set of recordings for a year = 365/7 x 555.03 = $28,940.85 US
Assuming each recording centre only produced one set of tapes each week
Total yearly tape cost = 3 x 28,940.85 = $86,822.55 US
Now it is the era of fixed exchanged rates so $1 AUS = $1.12 US
So total yearly tape cost in AUS $ = 86,822.55/1.12 = $77,520.14 AUS
Now it seems reasonable to assume that ABC would have been able to absorb any labour costs amongst their existing staff and with the mining companies responsible for all shipping costs the scheme would cost ABC about $80,000 AUS per year with no re-use of the tapes.
Now in the Hamersly News of 1 July 1969 in an article before the scheme came into effect:
The A.B.C. is to set up a central recording centre for the provision of programmes: the capital cost of this taping unit is likely to be $240,000 and running costs about $80,000 per year. The A.B.C. is said not to be charging for the programmes and it would appear that a major part of the expense would be recoverable from normal viewer licence fees.
Now obviously the scheme changed in that they had three taping centres at Perth, Adelaide and Townsville, rather than one centralised taping centre, but if the cost of the scheme remained unaltered it is remarkable that the projected running costs of $80,000 per year is virtually identical to the cost of the videotapes for a year with no re-use. If there was re-use of the videotapes it is difficult to see how they managed to rack up running costs of $80,000 per year. It does appear to raise the possibility with no re-use of there being long forgotten storerooms full of videotapes, waiting to be found.