NineHD lets the breakaway programming Jeannie out of the bottle
Network Nine has started broadcasting classic reruns of Seinfeld on its high-def channel
I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched and Seinfeld are amongst the classic reruns you'll see in the afternoons after Nine quietly entered the era of breakaway programming last week.
Nine's high-def channel now breaks simulcast with the standard-def channel between 11am and 4pm on weekdays, screening a movie rerun plus a handful of old sitcoms.
The high-def channel falls back into simulcast for prime time, but as of this week it will break away again from 10.30pm until 12.30am to show reruns of local dramas such as McLeod's Daughters and Stingers, followed by another movie rerun. Breakaway content is minimal over the weekends.
Nine has taken a low key approach to its breakaway programming, with no fanfare, although this week's printed television schedules include the changes. If you flick channels on a weekday afternoon, you've now got 10 different programs to choose from - although there's no guarantee any of them will be worth watching.
Despite the use of the high-def channel for alternative programming, very little of Nine's breakaway content is actually in high-def. This reflects Seven's approach to its high-def channel, which started breaking simulcast with the standard-def channel last year, before the commercial networks were permitted to offer a second standard-def channel.
Nine's move brings it a step closer to its plans to launch a second standard-def channel later this year. Seven has similar plans, although both networks are holding their cards close to their chests.
The move now gives Nine more breakaway content than Seven, but the decision to break simulcast at 10.30pm could see it run into the same problems as Seven - with disgruntled drama fans angry that quality shows moved into graveyard time slots will no longer be broadcast in high-def.
Network Ten ran into similar problems, before it scrapped high-def simulcasts completely this year in favour of a 24 hour sports channel - which is great news for sports fans but bad news for everyone else.
It will be interesting to see what becomes of Seven and Nine's high-def channels once they launch a second standard-def channel.
Punters who have invested good money in high-def televisions are entitled to be annoyed as more and more standard-def content appears on the high-def channels, especially if the show screening on the standard-def channel at the time is available in high-def. Such a move will just drive more people into the arms of BitTorrent, where they can download crystal clear high-def copies of foreign television shows.
It's good to see Nine trying something different, but the networks need to tread carefully if they want to gain viewers rather than lose them.
Other Blog Entries written by Adam Turner:
Thoughts on this article? Add a comment below.
Comments: 3
|
wbeasley
May 11, 2009 7:05 PM
|
Sorry but HD channels should be for HD broadcasts. What a step backwards - we get HD shows in SD and repeats of SD programs in, um, HD. I'm already missing some of the great shows TEN was showing in HD - now we get crap sport. Put that on another SD channel by all means but please keep the decent, modern, HD programs on HD channels... or as your reviewer put it, BitTorrent here I come! |
|
mohaymens
May 11, 2009 8:04 PM
|
HD Programing in Australia is a joke!!! When rest of the world moving to High Def Australian broadcast moving to standard def from high def (for example channel 10). WHats the point of spending money on HD televisions then? LOL I will just download high definition programs from internet and then watch it on my big screen tv. |
|
petergaskin
May 11, 2009 9:54 PM
|
Who asked for high def tv in the first place? Wasnt it the tv stations. Now they have got what they want, they dont want to use it!
Free to air tv stations have a great opportunity to set themselves up for the future. But they need to move forward.
Channel 10 at least shows the f1 races at a reasonable time now they show it on hd / sd. |